613
by Ty3
Summary: X5-613 had been harboring her hatred for 494 for some time. But somewhere along the line, in the midst of his attempt to take her back to Manticore, that all changed.
1. 494

****

494

I never could run fast enough.

****

_"That was not a satisfactory performance, 613!"_

"Yes, sir!"

"Do you realize that this is the fourth time in a row that you have failed to meet the standards?"

"Yes, sir!"

"So, why aren't you doing anything about it?!"

"I'm trying, sir!"

"Not hard enough."

"Sorry, sir!"

"That's it. I'm sick of you. Run the perimeter until you figure out how to move faster!"

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"

My top speed was nothing remarkable among X-5's. That just wasn't my area of expertise. Unfortunately, it was the skill I needed most now.

"Where are we going?" Kira yelled at me.

"I don't know. Just keep running." I replied.

I scanned the area quickly, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon. I knew I would need it for when they cornered us. And they would sooner or later. There were X-5's on our tail. 

"Stop!" I commanded quickly.

Kira immediately froze. She looked at me questioningly, awaiting further orders. I could feel the X-5's gaining and this was as good a place as any to make a stand.

I hadn't paid much attention to where we were headed, but I now saw that we had arrived at a complex of buildings that could only be a school. From the building nearest us came the sound of drumming, a loud noise that would effectively cover any noise that we might make. It was the most advantageous situation we could hope for under the circumstances.

"Follow me." I said quietly, knowing she would hear despite the noise.

Kira and I stalked around the building. I signaled to her to hide off to the right while I dropped to the ground on the left, peaking around the building.

Rapid movement caught my attention and I quickly spotted the X-5 at point. He slowed and assessed his surroundings. His eyes were icy cold as he searched for any trace of our passing. He was in full mission mode. I tried not to breathe.

"613, I know you're here." he called, his face showing no emotion.

Suddenly, I recognized him.

****

_"494, you are to lead your unit on search and destroy. 857, you escape and evade. There will be consequences for losing."_

"Yes, sir!" came a loud chorus from two units of X-5's.

"857, move your team out!"

"Yes, sir!" my C.O. replied.

I glanced at 494 before following 857. His face showed no emotion, his eyes were icy cold. I had heard of his reputation. This would not be an easy mission.

"You were always slow and clumsy, 613. I caught you before, I can do it again." he continued, his cold eyes still searching.

I signaled to Kira to move. She hesitated for a fraction of a second and my gaze snapped to her. She had no choice but to follow my orders. I had more seniority than she. I would get her out of here.

"Give yourself up, 613. There will be consequences for your actions, but not nearly as bad as what will happen if I have to take you by force." 494 warned.

I slowly backed away from the edge of the building. 494's eyes snapped to me and our gazes locked as I froze.

****

_I could hear him behind me. I knew he was coming for me. He would catch me eventually if I didn't think of something quick. I really didn't want to face the consequences of failure._

I spun, dropping to the ground behind some bushes, lying motionless. I waited as the X-5 tailing me approached. It was 494.

He stopped so close that I could smell the leather of his combat boots. I watched nervously as he scanned the area, looking and listening for me. Suddenly, his eyes locked with mine.

I sprang to my feet and took off. I knew 494 was on my heels. He would catch me, he was right. He was much faster than me. It was just a matter of time.

494 caught up to me as I reached the fence belonging to a baseball diamond. I could feel his breath, he was so close. I sprang in a desperate attempt to escape, landing on the top part of the fence on my hands and knees. I looked down at 494, wondering what he would do.

He glanced up at me, unconcerned.

"You're only making this worse, you know." he remarked.

"I won't go back." I snapped, trying not to let my shortness of breath show.

"You can't escape. It's useless. This is just a prolonged exercise."

"Freedom is not an exercise."

"You're not free. You could never be free. None of us could. You'd always be trapped by what you are. At least at Manticore you're accepted. You don't have to hide who you are. That's free."

"You don't know what you're saying."

"I've been on the outside. I've always come back."

"Well, I guess you're a better soldier than I am." I growled.

"Come down."

"No."

A second later 494 landed on the fence next to me, crouched low to maintain his balance. I quickly backed away, getting to my feet as I reached the edge. 494 lashed out, I dodged. He was so fast. It was all I could do to block his attacks.

494 suddenly swiped at my feet and I was forced to leap out of the way. I was too close to the edge. I grabbed at the fence as I fell past it, latching onto the overhang. 494 looked down at me, his eyes questioning me, asking if I was ready to surrender yet. My resolve hardened and I let go.

The second my feet hit the ground I was running again.

I left the school, running and running. Running as fast as I could until I suddenly got the feeling that something was wrong. I slowed.

Before me was a large building positioned next to a small, but deep-looking lake. My vision sharpened and I saw Kira through the second story window. This stank of a trap. But I couldn't leave Kira.

I glanced behind me, looking for 494, but I couldn't see him anywhere. Warily, I approached the building.

****

_"Can't you tell a trap when you see one?" 857 demanded angrily._

"I'm sorry."

"You keep costing us missions."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Be better."

"I will."

And I meant it, too. I would do my best not to be the cause of failure ever again.

Failure was not an option this time.

I carefully began the process of climbing up the building to the roof. It was a three-story building, complete with numerous windows that outlined each floor. I was just below the third story window when I spotted 494.

He didn't follow me up the building, but watched calmly from the ground. That confirmed my suspicion. This was a trap.

I gained the roof, but was greeted by two guards. Luckily, they were human. I took them out quickly, but I was very tired. This would not be good.

I descended to the third floor and was startled to find Kira. And six semiautomatic guns. She gave me an apologetic look and I shook my head slightly in response. It wasn't her fault.

I tensed when Lydecker emerged from behind some of the soldiers training weapons on us.

"You're a long way from home, soldier." he said slowly.

I didn't reply, but quickly tried to find a way to escape. The only way I saw was the nearby window. But how to get out the window without taking a dozen bullets?

"It's useless to resist." Lydecker said, noticing my glance around.

I had it. It was dangerous, but it was the only way.

I lounged, grabbing a hold of Lydecker and yanking him back towards the window. Kira quickly realized what I was doing and got behind me. She kicked out the window.

Lydecker reached for a gun, but I beat him to it. I pointed it towards his head.

"You know my reflexes are faster than any of theirs." I said quietly.

He nodded.

"Hold your fire."

I motioned to Kira. She leaped out of the window, diving gracefully into the water. I followed soon after, pulling Lydecker backwards out of the window with me. I lost the gun in the fall, choosing instead to keep a firm hold on Lydecker. The consequence was that I hit the water hard and the wind was knocked out of me. But it was worth it because Lydecker's soldiers wouldn't shoot as long as there was a chance they might hit the colonel.

I dragged Lydecker back up to the surface with me and emerged near the bank. Kira was already out, waiting for me. But closing quickly was 494. 

I made a quick decision and ditched Lydecker in the lake. He would slow us down too much. Kira grabbed my hand and pulled me out and we raced away.

But I was trailing. I couldn't run for much longer. I gestured to Kira to continue without me. I would find her later.

"That was risky."

494 was alongside me. He chatted as if this were a routine jog around the compound and we were discussing my maneuvers on the latest mission.

"I had no choice."

"You could have surrendered."

"Never."

"You know I can take you. You're tired. You don't stand a chance."

"I know. But I have to try."

"Why?"

I looked at 494 for the first time since he had caught up to me.

"It's who I am."

I had to stop. I slowed, panting, and 494 slowed with me.

"I've thought about you since you left." he said quietly.

I glanced at him in surprise. This wasn't like him. 494 was cocky, cool, confident. He gave away nothing. Why was he telling me this?

"You interested me." he continued, "That's why I requested this assignment."

I wasn't sure how to react to 494's abnormal behavior.

"I dreamed about this capture."

"Oh?" I managed.

"Yes. There was never any doubt that I would capture you. It's just the how that was interesting. I've been interested to see how this would play out."

"Glad to see you're still just as cocky as ever."

494 flashed a cocky grin at me, probably patented on his missions outside. I was a little taken aback by the expression.

"Have I any reason not to be?"

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. 

"You won't catch Kira." I finally replied.

"You don't think so?"

"I won't let you."

"And how do you plan to stop me?"

I took a deep breath and raised my fists. 494 laughed.

"Do you really want to do this?" he asked.

"What other choice do I have?"

494 gave me a suggestive look.

"I excelled in sexual performance training."

"You must be joking."

He simply raised an eyebrow again.

I shook my head. He was crazy.

I lashed out with my foot, hoping that he wouldn't be expecting the attack. But he was ready. He caught my foot and flipped me. I managed to keep standing, but he had me off balance, still keeping a firm hold on my foot. He pulled me forward and kicked at my standing leg. I fell forward into the splits, using my hands to pull out of it and sweep both legs around into 494's legs. I managed to hook my foot around his ankle and pull him off his feet. He twisted as he fell and I suddenly found myself pinned under his weight.

"I was first in my class." he continued.

"Yet again with the overconfidence." I snapped, shoving him.

He didn't move.

"They're transferring me to a breeding program."

"Sounds like just the cushy job for you."

"It could take some time. Probably enough time for 772 to get pretty far away."

I froze. He was right about that at least. I needed to give Kira time to escape. But there was no way I was going to sleep with the soldier sent to capture me and take me back to Manticore. Maybe if I could just get him to think he might be able to convince me. Maybe I could distract him long enough to give Kira a good head-start.

"Five minutes is not a long time, 494."

He looked shocked.

"It would take quite a bit longer than that, 613." he replied.

"You're not my type."

"Are you sure?"

Before I could reply he was kissing me. He was very good at it, too. I wasn't sure what to do so I simply remained still. That is until I became short on air. I shoved 494 away and quickly refilled my lungs. He grinned his cocky grin at me again.

"What are you smiling about?" I demanded, "That doesn't prove anything."

"No?" he produced a pouty frown, "But we were instructed that kissing is very important in seducing females."

"I doubt you were instructed in regards to Manticore females."

"Maybe not, but you're still female." he said, "And I'm just as Manticore as you are."

He lowered his head and I felt his teeth on the crook of my neck. I gasped when he bit down hard on my skin. I felt a twinge of pain before he closed his mouth over the bite and nursed it with his tongue. I tried to feel nothing.

"How about now?" he asked.

I realized that I had closed my eyes and quickly opened them again. This was not going as I had anticipated.

"Well..." I said smoothly, my hands running up his back to rest just below his shoulder blades, "No."

I kneed him in the stomach, pushing with all my might against him so that I could escape from under him. I jumped back to my feet. 494 soon followed.

"That's going to leave a mark." he said, pointing at my neck.

My hand went to touch the spot. It was very sore. He was probably right.

"Just one more scar." I shrugged.

"And not the first I've given you either."

**_I sprang from my hiding place in the bushes, dashing around trees, but 494 tackled me from behind. I kicked furiously until he lost his grip on my legs. We both sprang to our feet and began circling each other._**

494 threw an experimental punch which I easily blocked. The rest of the fight was a blur until he threw me hard down on the ground. A sharp rock pierced my thigh and I screamed.

"I remember." I said, my voice devoid of emotion, "You left me there, immobilized."

"Orders are orders. I had a team to hunt down."

"I laid there for over an hour before my unit came looking for me."

"Medics fixed you up good."

"I never forgave you. I never could run the same. It was your fault."

"I didn't mean..."

"Bullshit."

"You're right. I did mean to." he admitted.

He didn't seem in the least remorseful. I hadn't really expected him to be.

"You always were good. That's why they sent you on all the missions. 494, the star of Manticore." I said bitterly, "But I don't care how good you are. I'm not going back and you can't make me. You'll just have to kill me."

"My orders aren't to kill you."

"You don't have a choice."

"And you're not in any position to make demands."

"I hate you, 494."

He grinned.

"But you want me so bad."

Furious, I threw a wild punch at his head which he easily dodged. But I wasn't finished. I continued to throw fast and angry punches at his body. 494 was forced to retreat slightly to avoid the blows.

"You're quick when you're angry. But you're not too accurate." he commented.

I landed a blow to the side of his face.

"Accurate enough." I growled.

494 rubbed his cheek and moved his jaw back into place.

"613, that hurt." he said, "I might just have to leave you with a few new scars today."

He counterattacked and I felt the wind rush out of me. Then, my face exploded with pain. Then, my knee gave and I fell to a kneeling position.

I lifted my hands to my face and reset my nose before looking up at 494. I could feel blood trickling down my face and tasted it on my lips.

"Will you surrender now?" he asked.

"Never."

He sighed. I caught a glimpse of his fist before it connected with my temple and I fell unconscious.

**_"She's coming out of the anesthesia, doctor."_**

My eyes slowly focused and adjusted to the bright light over me. I was surrounded by people in white and I began to panic before I realized that I was in the hospital wing.

"She's X-5. She can take the pain." the doctor replied, unconcerned as he finished stitching my leg.

It hurt, but he was right. I could take the pain. Besides, pain was a good thing. It meant my leg wasn't seriously damaged.

"Alright. You damaged the muscle, so you're not going to have the same kind of mobility you used to. But mostly, it was just superficial. A flesh wound. You should make a full recovery." the doctor reported as he washed his hands.

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"

"You can go back to the barracks now, but report back here tomorrow morning at 0900."

"Yes, sir!"

I wasn't prepared for the pain when I put weight on the leg. A flesh wound. It was just a flesh wound. But it hurt like hell. And muscle damage. Terrific. That meant reconditioning. And it meant that I would be the weak link in the chain for awhile. I hated being the weak link. Damn that 494.

I blinked slowly and my eyes focused. I wasn't in the hospital wing. That had been a long time ago. I was on the ground. And 494 was standing over me in parade rest, his back to me.

"What are you waiting for?" I demanded angrily once I realized that there weren't any military humvees around, waiting to load me up and take me back to Manticore.

"I was told to await assistance." he replied shortly, "They'll be here shortly.

Oh.

"It won't be so bad." he continued, "They'll send you to Psy-Ops for awhile. Reindoctrinate you. Then, everything will be back to normal."

Psy-Ops. I was not going to Psy-Ops. I had heard about what went on in there. There was no way they were going to do that to me. Maybe 494 had been able to handle his stay in Psy-Ops, but I wasn't up for one myself.

"Maybe they'll even transfer you to the breeding program and we'll get to finish what we started."

Arrogant bastard. I hated him so much.

"It won't be so bad." he repeated.

That's when I noticed the tone in his voice. He sounded...uncertain. Like he was trying to convince himself. I was confused and a little scared of this new dimension to 494.

It was horribly difficult to ask, "What's wrong?"

He glanced back at me without really looking at me. But I saw his eyes. They were dark and stormy, filled with a tempest of emotions. I was even more afraid. 494 was a soldier. He was cold and emotionless except for his arrogance. The emotions in his eyes shouldn't be there. They didn't belong.

His voice, however, was as cold as ever.

"Nothing."

"You don't want to go back, do you?" I asked, astounded by my realization.

"Don't be stupid."

"You wanted to waste time on this mission because you don't want to go back." I accused.

"You're insane."

"Then, why didn't you just take me to Lydecker instead of radioing? We both know I'd be headed back to Manticore by now if you had moved me yourself."

"Shut up."

His voice was getting edgy. I knew I was right.

"You can't leave, but you don't want to go back. That's why you're so torn."

"Shut up!" he yelled at me, whirling around.

His eyes blazed at me and I shrank from them. There was so much power in his eyes. It was no wonder he was a C.O.

"You don't know what you're talking about." he said in a whisper through clenched teeth.

"Then, tell me."

494 turned his back to me again and resumed parade rest. I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position and debated running again.

"You have no idea what it's like."

His voice startled me. It was very quiet. I stared at 494's back in surprise.

"First, I spend 6 months in Psy-Ops because my twin turned out to be a traitor. And then I go on a mission and kill the wrong person." his voice began to quaver and he took a deep breath.

I couldn't speak.

"They break you into pieces in Psy-Ops, you know. You think you can beat them, but you can't. They tear you apart. They get inside you and rip you open. But I didn't care after awhile." he paused and I held my breath, fearing the tiniest disturbance would end in disaster, "She wasn't supposed to be there. It was just her father I was sent to kill. She shouldn't have been involved at all. But I screwed up. I failed her. I failed everyone. I killed her. I loved her and I killed her."

I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe. I could have died of shock. This was the last thing I had expected from 494. Who would ever have believed that 494 could love? Who would have believed that any of us would ever be able to love at all?

"I don't want to be hurt again." 494 breathed.

"Don't go back. Come with me." I burst out suddenly.

"I can't." he said, his voice strong and cold once again.

"Why not?" I asked in disbelief.

Why would he go back to Manticore after what they had done to him, what they had made him do? 

"Because. Manticore is where we belong. We weren't meant to be out there, trying to be human. We'll never be like them. Manticore is home."

"But..."

I cut myself off as I heard the sound of approaching vehicles. I didn't have much time. Either I convinced 494 to abandon everything he had ever known or I returned to Manticore with him.

"Go."

I looked at 494, confused. I was sure he had spoken, but he couldn't have said what I thought he had.

"Go on. Go. Now. Before Lydecker gets here. It's your only chance." he said, turning to me.

"Please come with me." I said as I rose, knowing I was wasting time as the vehicles got closer.

He shook his head.

I remained still for a moment, frozen where I stood as I stared into 494's eyes. He broke the moment by shoving me and looking away.

"Get out of here."

I ran quickly, knowing I couldn't stay any longer. I felt 494's eyes on me for a long while until I was out of his range. I couldn't help but pity 494. I had hated him so much, wished that I could put him through some of the pain he had subjected me to. Not only with the injury he had done me, but with the repercussions that had followed. But now I knew that 494's pain was much greater than my own. His torment was something much deeper than physical wounds. I wondered if he would ever heal before I turned my attention to finding Kira.

__

A/N: I don't anything, blah blah and so forth. This is pretty much a dream I had and I thought I'd make it into a fic. Let me know if anyone likes it. Thanks.


	2. Terminal City

****

Terminal City

I followed Kira sullenly towards a nightclub. She had adjusted to life on the outside so much better than I. Ironic since it had been my idea to leave.

**_"I'm not going back, 772." _**

"Not going back? What are you talking about? We've completed our mission, now we have to return to base."

"No."

"No? Are you okay, 613?"

"I'm fine. Don't you see? I can't go back there. I hate it. Can't you feel that something isn't right about Manticore? Don't you sense the difference on the outside? The freedom."

She hadn't understood what I was talking about back then. But she had come with me anyway. 772 had always been my only true friend. She had always shown such utter devotion. When 494 had left me in the woods, she had spent 38 minutes looking for me until she had been captured herself.

494. I'd thought about him so often since our last encounter. I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, how he was surviving back at Manticore. Did he regret not coming with me? Had he been punished badly for allowing me to escape? Had they sent him to psy-ops? Did he hate me now?

I mentally shook myself and cut off my thoughts of 494, redirecting my thought process back to its original track before I had digressed.

772, Kira, my best friend. No, she hadn't known why I had needed to leave Manticore, but once she had joined me on the outside, she had easily assimilated her new life. And I knew that she, too, now understood what Manticore had been lacking. That was why I couldn't let her be recaptured. She was my responsibility.

Which was why I felt obligated to go with her to this nightclub instead of remaining at home, staring blankly out the window all night like I had planned.

"Cheer up, Jess." Kira prodded me.

Jess. It was my name. Yet I still thought of myself as 613. I couldn't help it. I hated it, but I couldn't help it.

I forced a smile.

"I know. I'm sorry."

I envied Kira sometimes. I envied her ability to adapt so easily. I envied how free she seemed. Free of Manticore. I envied how normal she appeared to be. Even though I knew that none of these things were completely true, she wasn't normal or completely free or completely adjusted to her new life, I envied her anyways.

Kira charmed her way past the bouncer and I followed her inside into the dimly lit building. I had moved us to a new city again. I was careful to keep us moving now, always trying to erase any trace of where we had been. I did not want to go up against Manticore again. I would not be so lucky next time.

"I need a drink." I called over the music to Kira.

She nodded and headed to the dance floor.

I sat down at the bar and scanned the building as I waited for the bartender. I was very cautious these days. Bordering paranoia. But I had to be. I had to keep us safe.

I ordered a strong alcoholic beverage even though I knew it would have no effect on me. 

I turned my back to the bar and checked out the people in the room.

My drink shattered on the floor.

**_I was lying on my belly in the dirt, hiding behind a bush. My breath caught as his eyes locked on mine._**

I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

**_I tried to back slowly behind the edge of the building, but my movement attracted his attention and his eyes locked on me._**

I rose from my seat and slowly walked across the room. He still hadn't noticed me. He was busy talking smoothly to a scantily clad blonde. He seemed so different from the last time I had seen him and yet it couldn't be anyone else.

"494." I breathed when I was about six feet from him.

He whipped around to face me and his eyes went wide.

"Who's this?" the girl demanded. When 494 didn't respond, she continued, "Hello? Alec?"

"Beat it, toots." 494 snapped.

The girl gasped indignantly and stomped off. Neither of us made a move.

"What are you doing here?" I asked finally.

"I could ask you the same." 

"How many others are there?"

"Quite a few."

"How much time do I have before they've secured the perimeter?"

"Plenty."

I blinked. His answer didn't make sense.

He must have sensed my confusion because he elaborated.

"No one's tracking you." he continued, "In fact, you two are the ones who have me cornered."

So he had noticed Kira closing on him from behind.

"What's going on, 494?" I demanded.

He glanced around nervously and shushed me. 

"It's Alec now. And I'm not on any mission. Well, except to get laid. I'm a free man now."

I was astounded. How could this have happened? Could he really have left after he had turned down my offer of escape? What could have changed his mind?

As if sensing my thoughts he said, "A friend of mine...well, friend is a bit strong...acquaintance...cohort...associate..., goes by Max a.k.a. 452, got the place burned to the ground. Set all kinds of X's and other transgenics loose on the world."

This was unbelievable intel. Manticore, burned to the ground? My brain was having trouble processing it all.

"Manticore's gone?" Kira asked, sounding as astounded as I felt.

"Ashes to ashes, baby. But we've still got plenty of problems. Look, this is not the best place for a debriefing. Follow me." 494...Alec...ordered.

Kira glanced at me questioningly and I nodded. We both followed 494.

He was acting so differently and yet somehow I knew that he was still hiding the same tormented 494 inside. I sensed that he had simply adopted a nonchalant attitude, cocky grin, and suggestive eyes to replace his cold demeanor and emotionless Manticore persona.

"Are you sure this isn't a trap?" Kira whispered to me.

"I know 494." I replied.

"You think you do." she corrected.

"Talking about me?" 494 called easily, "I know...I'm irresistible."

Neither of us reacted to his comment. He rolled his eyes.

"Okay. So you don't trust me. Understandable. I mean, the last time we met I was trying to capture you and take you back to Manticore. But that was then, this is now. Time's change. I don't work for the man anymore. And I can prove it if you let me."

I raised an eyebrow at Kira. She looked away. She had never understood my connection with 494. She'd spent a lot of time and energy trying to make me forget him. She now obviously believed that my foolish sentiments would get us into trouble.

We soon arrived at an apartment building after traveling the streets quickly in silence. 494 led us upstairs and unlocked the door to a room. He made sure to swing the door all the way open so that Kira and I had a clear view of the inside of the apartment. He knew we would want to check out the place before cornering ourselves inside.

"See, no soldiers, no Lydecker, no tasers. Just my home, sweet home." he said, spreading his arms and standing in the middle of the apartment.

I entered slowly and Kira followed warily after. After cautiously scanning the whole place with my eyes and listening intently for any telltale noises, I relaxed.

Kira, on the other hand, did not.

"Well, go ahead and prove it already." she snapped, still standing in a ready stance, prepared for a fight.

494 retrieved a videotape and inserted it in the television. A moment later a news report came on reporting the destruction of a veteran's hospital by the terrorist group S1W. I immediately recognized Manticore. So it was true. Manticore was gone.

"Don't get too excited." 494 warned as he turned off the television, "Manticore may not be hunting you down anymore, but Agent White and his band of freaky familiars are. Plus,...our covers been totally blown and the general public knows all about us and hates us to boot. You guys should really keep up on the news."

I blinked a few more times in surprise.

"What?" I asked finally.

494 sighed.

"This guy named White is part of this breeding cult that good ol' Sandeman, the creator of Manticore, happened to be a part of once upon a time. Now his miffed buddies hate us and want to, you know, wipe us off the face of the planet. So, they exposed us and set all the ordinaries against us. We've been living down in Terminal City, blockaded off from the rest of existence for awhile. Regular people can't stay down there too long or they get sick, but transgenics can take the heat."

"If all that is true, then why are you on the outside and not in Terminal City?" Kira demanded suspiciously.

"Because I can sneak out. X-series look like everyone else. We can blend in. So it's our job to get supplies." he explained.

"So you were at a nightclub...?" she questioned, eyes still narrowed.

494 gave us a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Detour?" he offered.

"I can't believe this." I muttered to myself.

"Believe it." 494 said firmly, "World's a different place for us now. You thought you had it tough when Manticore was out to get you? Try living your life when everyone on the planet wants you dead."

I didn't bother to explain to 494 that it wasn't just that shocking bit of news that had my reeling. It was also his attitude. Sure, he was still self-assured, cocky, and sarcastic. But he was also...sheepish? That did not fit with the star of Manticore, 494. The outside had sure changed him.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked.

"Come on. I'll take you down to TC. We've got everything set up down there. Besides, Original Cindy should be home soon. Wouldn't want her to know I was crashing her apartment, now would we?" he said, ushering us out the door.

I noticed now, as 494 led the way back outside, that he was careful to keep the collar of his jacket turned up to cover his barcode. And the way he kept glancing around for any sign of danger. 

As we walked the streets of Seattle, I was now able to identify what was so different about this city. What we had missed in the week we spent on the road. The tension in the air was almost palpable. Everyone glanced at everyone else with a degree of suspicion.

The crowds thinned and the number of police grew as the buildings became more dilapidated. 494 signaled behind his back to us to be careful and gestured ahead at a tall barb-wired fence. Kira and I followed him cautiously as he snuck past the police and threw a chink in the fencing.

"Welcome to Terminal City." he announced after we had both made it through and he had replaced the sign covering the hole in the fence.

The city wasn't much. Everything was in a state of disrepair. The streets and buildings were filthy, littered with trash. The air smelled funny and the place gave off a slightly hostile feel. I felt like I was being watched.

"It's okay, Dix. They're cool. X-5." 494 said, waving.

A figure separated himself from the dark shadows of a building and nodded at 494. The figure was obviously one of Manticore's strange mutations. He held a large shotgun.

"Max is looking for you." he called before melting back into the darkness.

"Great." 494 muttered sarcastically, "What did I do wrong now?"

Kira and I maintained our silence as we followed 494 deeper into Terminal City and finally into a building that, from the looks of the equipment inside, was serving as their headquarters.

"Alec! Where the hell have you been? You had better have gotten the gas I sent you to get or I'm gonna..." a furious looking brunette stormed up to us, glaring eyes fixed on 494.

"Kick my ass. I know, I know." 494 finished for her, rolling his eyes, "The night is young. I'll get it."

The brunette looked about to punch 494 in the face. I was surprised when he grabbed me by the shoulders and yanked me in front of him.

"Now, Max. We have company." he scolded.

So this must be 452.

She immediately changed temperaments as she looked from me to Kira.

"X-5?" she asked.

I nodded.

"613." I said, then gestured at Kira, "772."

452 frowned.

"We use names around here. Numbers are Manticore's thing."

"Jess." I corrected myself, "Kira."

"I'm Max. I take it you've already been introduced to this dingbat." she said, smacking 494 in the back of the head.

"Ow!" he said even though it couldn't have really hurt him.

"I know 494." I said for the second time that night.

"Alec." 494 insisted.

"I'm sorry. Alec." I nodded, trying hard to replace the designation with the name in my head.

"You've met before." 452 said, glancing from me to 494 to Kira curiously.

"Don't be so nosy, Max." 494 said quickly before either Kira or I could respond.

452 raised an eyebrow at that, but shrugged and didn't push the subject.

"Well, welcome to transgenic central." she said instead, "It's nothing fancy, but it works. You can make yourself at home, but report back for your duties. We've all got jobs to do to keep this place running. Right, Alec?"

"I'll get it!" 494 said, sounding harassed.

"You better." 452 snapped, then turned back to us, "Be careful around the fence and do not go outside without checking in here first. It's dangerous out there. We gotta lay low."

"That's Maxie's catch phrase." 494 whispered.

"Shut up!" 452 snapped at him.

He flashed her a smile.

"What?" he asked innocently.

452 rolled her eyes and stomped away.

"She's got a thing for me." 494 said conspiratorially, but loud enough that his voice carried to 452 across the room.

"Oh, please." she replied, "In your dreams."

494 winked, as if that proved he was right. Kira and I were still too astounded to respond.

"Well." 494 said, clapping his hands together and ignoring our unresponsiveness, "Let's find you a place to sleep, shall we?"

Once again we followed 494.

"We've been doing our best to score some mattresses, but complete beds are hard to get unfortunately. Hope you don't mind. But we've got plenty of space, at least. And privacy. And you don't have to hide what you are." 494 paused and glanced at me.

**__**

"You're not free. You could never be free. None of us could. You'd always be trapped by what you are. At least at Manticore you're accepted. You don't have to hide who you are. That's free."

"So, yeah. Besides all the people wanting to kill us outside the fence, it's not too bad." he finished awkwardly.

He stopped in front of a building covered in graffiti with the windows boarded up.

"This is empty. I know it looks..."

"It's great." I interrupted.

494 smiled. I made a decision.

"Kira, will you check it out?" I asked.

Kira sighed, knowing I was really giving her an order. She gave me her 'Please, be careful' look before disappearing inside the building.

"I need to talk to you." we both said at the same time.

494 smiled slightly. I looked down.

"I've thought about you a lot." I said quietly when he didn't speak, "Wondered what happened to you. If they sent you back to psy-ops because you let me escape."

"Don't." 494 interrupted, "Whatever punishment I received was my own doing. It wasn't you fault. In fact, I need to thank you."

"Thank me?"

I was very confused.

"Seeing you and how much freedom meant to you...and then talking to you about Rachel. I never spoke a word about that to anyone before then. You have no idea."

He seemed to be having a lot of trouble finding words. I was amazed.

"And I wanted to see you again, but I did not want you to get captured. I just kept hoping that I'd get sent on a mission and I'd see you. You always had such spirit. Spirit that didn't make sense at Manticore and yet you had it. I could never understand it." he said, "But I respected you for it."

I didn't know what to say, but he had finished and was looking at me expectantly.

"I hated you so much." I blurted finally. He looked surprised and upset, but I continued, "You were everything I wasn't. Everything we were made to be. But then I saw the emotion in your eyes, the torment that Manticore was to even you, the perfect 494 whose only flaw was that his twin was a traitor. That's when I knew for sure that Manticore was wrong. And I couldn't hate you anymore because you were only doing what you were made to do. You didn't know anything else and you couldn't help yourself even though it was destroying you. I could at least leave."

"I'm glad you're here, 613." 494 said.

"I'm glad you're free, 494." I replied.

"Jess."

"Alec."

We stared a each other in silence, simply understanding each other. Finally, 494 cleared his throat and looked away.

"Well, I'd better go get that gas before Max throws a hissy fit." he said.

"Okay."

"See you around?"

"Yeah."

"Well, later."

"Later."

494 turned and began to walk away. I watched him until he disappeared around a building, then turned and went inside to join Kira. I couldn't believe what had happened tonight. So much had changed in such a short period of time. It was hard to believe. Just as with the last time I had seen 494, my world had changed.


	3. Screw Up

****

Screw Up

The place 494 had assigned us was a one-story, five-room affair. It was rather run-down, but it was obvious that someone had made an effort to make it livable. A mattress had been placed in each bedroom and a tattered sofa occupied the large living room. A table with only three chairs instead of the standard four took up the kitchen area and a shower curtain had been hung up in the bathroom. I was impressed by the work that had been done considering the number of buildings that similar arrangements must have been done to in order to house all the transgenics in Terminal City. Obviously Max hadn't lied about everyone doing their part.

After 494 had left, Kira and I decided to go back to our old place and collect the few possessions we owned. We reported to Max to inform her of our plan, then cautiously snuck out of Terminal City.

It wasn't terribly difficult to acquire our things and return without being noticed by the police, but it was harder than normal. Apparently, they had been at a standoff with the transgenics for over a week now and all that they could do was patrol the perimeter and try to keep the "mutants" confined. At least, that was what I overheard on a police radio as I waited for one to pass.

So now I was stretched out on the sofa, thinking. I wasn't much of a sleeper normally and I definitely did not think I would be able to sleep at present. There was simply too much I had to think over.

Like how 494 had been right in a way when he had told me those months ago that we could not be totally free as long as we had to hide what we were. I had become distinctly aware of that after he had let me go free. But now, that was different. In Terminal City, no one had to hide the fact that they were a genetically engineered freak designed by a covert government agency. Now that I thought about it, I realized that I felt like a burden had been lifted from me. As long as we were inside the fence of Terminal City, there was no need to worry about hiding our abilities, no reason to hide the telltale barcode.

However, despite this, we were trapped here. Free and trapped at the same time by what we were. I supposed we could escape if we were wanted to, but where would we go if we did? No, there wasn't anywhere for us to hide anymore. Not really. Not now that everyone knew about us.

That breeding cult business was another thing I had to turn over. The creator of Manticore had been part of a breeding cult?

I decided to put that subject aside until I knew more.

So, that left...494. He had obviously turned over C.O. status to 452/Max, who in herself was an enigma as one of the '09 escapees. But I could accept her. Somehow the wiring in my brain could comprehend 452 and her behavior. She had been on the outside for over ten years after all. And as an escapee, she would want to share her freedom with her fellow Manticore soldiers. Just as I had wanted to share mine with 494. But 494 himself was completely incomprehensible to me. How submissive he was to 452, his casual attitude towards blowing off a mission, all very out of character for the 494 that I had known. And yet, they didn't diminish him in my eyes at all. Even though these changes chipped away at his perfect soldier status, they only opened yet another facet to the complex 494 I had glimpsed previously. Maybe it was the feline DNA, but I was horribly curious about that real 494 that lay buried either behind cold eyes or a carefree attitude.

"Honey, I'm home."

494's voice startled me. I jumped up from my stretched-out position on the sofa and readied myself for anything instinctively before my brain registered 494's voice and I relaxed. He smirked at my reaction.

"Did you miss me?" he asked, winking at me.

He set down a large bucket of gas and came over to sit down on the arm of the sofa. I slowly, sat back down in the middle.

"Startled you, did I?" he questioned with a grin, then added to himself, "Still got it."

I was about to reply when Kira stomped out of the left-hand bedroom. She glared at me, avoiding looking at 494 like she still was not accustomed to his presence and therefore could not acknowledge him.

"Some of us need to sleep once in awhile." she glowered.

"Sorry." I replied.

"Some of us enjoyed the no fraternizing after lights out rule."

"Sorry."

"Some of us..." she paused and her eyes snapped to 494 when she realized he was mocking her by making talking motions with his hand and putting on a whiny face.

494 froze when he realized he'd been caught. I bit back a smile, knowing it would only make things worse.

Kira looked about to snap at 494. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she spun on her heel and went back to bed. I guessed that she couldn't bring herself to snap at the former C.O.. 494 looked amused.

"She sounds like Max." he commented, looking in the direction Kira had gone.

"She doesn't like her sleep interrupted." I nodded.

494 turned to me, slipping off the arm of the sofa and onto the seat cushion next to me.

"So, Jess. How's the outside been treating you?" he asked conversationally.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Why had I said that?

"I have that effect on people." he grinned.

I shook my head and continued despite the fact that I still wasn't sure why I was telling him this.

"I couldn't shake that look in your eyes. And I worried about you. I know I shouldn't have. You can take care of yourself. But I couldn't help it because whatever happened to you would be because of me."

"We talked about this already." he interrupted, but I stubbornly persisted.

"It was like I had gotten back at you even though I didn't want to anymore. It was like because I had wanted to so much before, it had to happen no matter how much I wanted to stop it. And you, you were so tortured already." I paused to take a deep breath before forcing myself to continue. I wasn't one to get all emotional, but I felt like I had to share my feelings with 494, "You were always so much better than me at everything. The only thing I had up on you was that I could feel. Feel like they didn't want us to. But then, all of a sudden, you could do that better than me, too. And because of how much better you were, you hurt so much more. And suddenly I felt bad for not being able to shoulder as much pain as you, not being able to at least understand your pain. I never even knew we could love."

I felt my voice breaking and had to pause again.

"Jess..." 494 began quietly.

"I wanted to save you." I said quickly, "But I couldn't. Chalk up another failure to 613. But the worst part was that I couldn't feel bad for myself after seeing how much pain you were in."

I felt myself crying and cursed myself silently. It was so confusing how I felt about 494. I couldn't even understand it myself. The line between love and hate had been wiped out and I was being caught up in a whirlwind of both. And yet, I hadn't even known that he meant so much to me. I had never even expected to see him again.

I was startled by the feeling of his arms around me. He didn't hold me tightly, ready to withdraw at a moment's notice, but the gesture overflowed with meaning.

"I'm sorry." he whispered.

"Please, don't." I replied, instantly feeling worse because he had felt the need to apologize to me.

"No, I am. I never meant to make a lasting impact on anyone. Just a brief moment in the long list of memories. Somehow I screwed up with you."

He stopped speaking abruptly and I looked at him questioningly. He released me from him arms and folded them across his chest. He didn't look at me.

"You, Max,...Rachel. I screwed up with all of you and all of you got hurt."

He bit down on his lip, splitting the skin, and my sharp eyes caught a slight tremble in his body.

"Alec?" I ventured, searching for his gaze.

He looked up slightly and his eyes locked with mine. He looked lost, confused, and badly hurt. Like a child that has crushed a bug without the understanding that the action would kill the creature and then does not understand what it did wrong.

It was only a second before he tore his eyes away and looked back at the floor.

"I try to do the right thing. I try not to let anyone get hurt, but somehow I keep screwing up. It seems like all I do is screw up!" he pounded a fist on the arm of the sofa in frustration.

I was confused. Perfect 494 a screw up? No, that wasn't right. I was the screw up, not him. Something was wrong with the world if that wasn't true.

Softly, I began to speak again, very careful of my words.

"You didn't screw up with me. You opened my eyes. You changed me. I'm glad you requested that assignment, 494."

He looked up at me. I could see in his eyes that he was afraid to believe me, afraid that there was no truth in my words. I silently try to convince him with my own steady gaze back at him.

"Alec." he corrected softly.

"Alec." I repeated.

Suddenly, I felt his lips brushing mine. I had a sudden flashback to the last time 494 had kissed me.

**__**

"You're not my type."

"Are you sure?"

Before I could reply he was kissing me. He was very good at it, too. I wasn't sure what to do so I simply remained still.

But this was nothing like that aside from the fact that I once again froze because I wasn't sure how to react.

"I'm sorry." he said quickly, pulling away abruptly and moving to leave.

I wanted to tell him not to go, but I couldn't speak. Instead, I watched helplessly as he walked out the door.

Why had he done that? As if I wasn't confused enough.


	4. Kiss

****

Kiss

I remained on the couch for the rest of the night, unable to sleep. My mind kept replaying what had happened a few hours previously.

**__**

"Alec." he corrected softly.

"Alec." I repeated.

I felt his lips brushing mine.

My lips still tingled from the contact. I raised my hand to my mouth, remembering how soft his lips had been.

I shook my head firmly, leaping to my feet and beginning to pace. What was wrong with me? It wasn't like I'd never been kissed before. It wasn't even like he'd never kissed me before. It wasn't like me to lose my head over something like this. I didn't get hung up on guys. Not when I had so many more important things to worry about.

But this wasn't just a guy. This was Alec.

I stopped pacing abruptly, realizing that I had actually just thought of him as Alec and not 494.

Shaking my head again, I resumed pacing.

I didn't even notice when Kira woke up until she spoke.

"What's wrong?"

I jumped and spun around. Glancing quickly at a boarded-up window, I saw that sunlight was streaming through. I had lost track of time, also not like me.

"Nothing." I lied.

Kira gazed at me levelly, unconvinced.

"494." I admitted.

She sighed and shook her head. She looked at me sadly. I knew that she thought that my fixation with 494 wasn't right. I knew she thought it was unhealthy for me to be so obsessed with the man sent to capture us, the man I had once hated. Maybe she was right, but I couldn't help it.

"Don't start with me again, Kira." I said before she could say all the things I knew that she would, "I need to be alone."

With that, I left. Kira would be angry with me, I knew that. But I didn't care. I really did need to be alone.

I sought out a tall building and climbed to the top. I was slightly concerned that the dilapidated complex wouldn't support my weight, but it held. I watched as the sun rose over Terminal City, keeping my mind a pleasant blank.

**_"613."_**

I turned my head on my bunk to look at 772.

"What?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

We lapsed into silence for about five minutes before 772 spoke up again.

"Was it 494?"

My jaw clenched.

"Yes."

"Was he as good as they say?"

I tried not to be furious with her.

"Did you miss my limp?"

"Of course not. But you fought him, right?"

"Of course I fought him. I didn't throw myself on that rock."

"How was he?"

"Shut up, 772."

I rolled over on my bunk, turning my back to her.

"Was he fast?"

"I'm going to sleep. I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, 613. I'm sorry."

I grunted angrily.

"It was just an exercise, you know."

I ground my teeth together and didn't respond.

I took a deep breath and dispelled the unbidden memory. Even back then Kira hadn't understood my feelings for 494. She hadn't understood why I was furious with him. And as time passed, she continued to not understand my growing hatred.

**_"What's the matter?" 772 whispered to me as we stood in line, waiting for our turns on the shooting range._**

At first I didn't reply. I had just completed more extra PT, yet another punishment for my inability to keep up with the rest of my unit. My body just wouldn't function like I wanted it to. And it was all 494's fault.

"613?"

"It's that 494." I growled finally.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's his fault that I can't meet the standards."

"What?"

"He didn't have to damage me so badly. All this is his fault."

"You're being irrational."

"I hate him."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Nevermind."

Kira and I had always been very different. It was really rather strange that we were such good friends. I had always been irrational, stubborn, incompetent yet persistent. She had always been logical, intelligent enough to be flexible, competent but not outstanding. Kira had always been the average soldier at Manticore and had worked to maintain that status. She had never wanted to stand out. I, on the other hand, strove to be exceptional, but constantly found myself on the other end of the spectrum.

"Fancy meeting you here."

I tried not to show my surprise at 494's presence. I continued to stare straight ahead, remaining seated.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked and I felt him sit next to me.

"Who said I was thinking about anything?" I replied.

I glanced at 494 quickly. He smiled slightly, looking out at Terminal City just as I had been.

"It's what we do. We go off alone and think. Max climbs the Space Needle. Joshua busts out the painting stuff. You come up here."

"What do you do?" I wondered out loud.

"Me? I sit in my apartment and turn up the tube."

"Doesn't the noise bother you?"

I was avoiding the topic and we both knew it.

"Nah. It's just background fuzz." he paused, "So, you were thinking?"

I sighed. I knew he wouldn't let me avoid the question for too long.

"I was thinking about 772, Kira."

"Cheating on me?" he joked.

The joke fell flat and he shifted uncomfortably. I decided to speak to ease the tension.

"We've never really understood each other, but we've always been friends." I explained, "She doesn't understand why I just don't forget about you."

"Why don't you?"

"I've tried." I admit, "But I can't. I don't know."

"Well, right back at you."

"What?" I asked, looking at him.

He held my eyes for a moment before looking back out at the horizon.

"I've tried to forget you, too. Can't." he shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Forget me?"

"Every time I thought about you it reminded me of how close I was to becoming a traitor. Like my twin. And it reminded me of my feelings for Rachel. Something I've tried very hard to forget."

"I'm sorry."

"For the millionth time, don't be." 494 said adamantly.

The silence that followed was very uncomfortable.

"So, how'd you meet up with 452?" I asked the first thing that came to mind.

494 laughed quietly.

"Actually, I met her in the breeding program." 

My eyes widened in surprise.

"She had just gotten herself captured and reindoctrinated. I knew I was in for trouble the minute I got the assignment. I mean, she'd been out for ten years. So, I walk in and tell her what's up, explain my orders, and what does she do? She tries to kick my ass! Then, she goes and name's me Alec on account of my smart alec remarks. So, I gave up on her, of course. I mean, she mistakes me for my twin, attacks me, and then names me? Clearly, psychotic. But orders are orders, so I came back later only to find that she was trying to escape again. Apparently, she'd been staying up all night and digging loose the bricks under her bunk. I caught her as she was sneaking back in from God knows where. So, I report to Director Renfro and she cooks up this plan to get Eyes Only. You know, the guy with the cable hacks. He was on an anti-Manticore campaign and she was worried the higher up's would go berserk if he did something stupid like give away the location of Manticore. So, she threatens Max, telling her she'll burn the place to the ground with everyone inside unless Max tells her how to find Eyes Only. Meanwhile, I do as I'm told and help Max to break out. Brilliant plan, you see. She knew that Max would go straight to Eyes Only when she got out, plus I had gained Max's trust. Which gave me the opportunity to inject her with a virus that would kill Mr. Computer Geek if they touched. Now that I look back on it, I kinda wish I hadn't been the one to do that. She's never forgiven me. But what could I do? I was following orders, you know? Anyway, I tell her she has to turn Eyes Only over to Manticore and turn herself in, too, to get the cure for him and she proceeded to beat my ass. She goes running back to Manticore to get the cure and finds the place going up in smoke. She somehow manages to free everybody and find Renfro just in time for her to tell her to find Sandeman in she wants to get rid of the virus. Max snags the antidote and high-tails it out of there just in time to save Eyes Only's life and be all heroic. That's kinda Max for you in a nutshell, all dramatic and heroic. She's got this 'the world is all against me, but I'm gonna save it anyway' thing going for her. She's frustrating and confusing like that. Always yelling at me and saying 'I'll kick your ass, Alec' or 'You're a lowlife, screw up, Alec' or 'Why are you always ruining my life, Alec?' I ruined her life. She's the one who dumped me on my ass on the outside. Not that I'm complaining, but geez. You'd think she'd be a little more sympathetic. Especially, after all the crap I've done for her. But no, the only stuff that matters is the stuff I do wrong." 494 stopped suddenly, realizing, I supposed, that I was still there. He offered me a sheepish smile, "Kinda got a little caught up there."

"Sounds complicated."

"You can say that again."

"So, you poisoned her and she didn't kill you?" I wondered at that.

"Nah, that's not Maxie's style. She might've hated me, but she's no murderer. Besides, I was starting to grow on her."

I gazed at him skeptically. He grinned.

"Actually, I split after that, figuring she might kill me. I was crashed at this motel when I see a bunch of young X's. I barely dodge the police who bust down my door and pick up the trail of those X's. They're following a signal to regroup. I tell them the signal's a fake, that Manticore wasn't attacked. Try to convince them that whatever is left of Manticore wants them dead, wants to cover their tracks. They don't listen. Meanwhile, Max sees the same signal, figures her fellow Manticore's are in 'dire peril,' and comes to the rescue. She saves the group I found and they take her back to the barn I found them in and was currently laying low inside. Just my luck, the X-7 with them turns us in and we get caught in a big fight with White's men and a bunch more X-7's. Maxie gets her little self caught and infects the teenage X's with her heroic vibe. They decide to go off and save her, which, of course, is just suicide. There was no way those kids could pull off the job alone. So, I follow them, feeling a little heroic myself. Okay, so maybe I owed her one. Either way, I freed Max and helped her to change the signal to tell all the transgenics to go to ground. We barely made it out. We got lucky and this other transgenic White had captured saved us. That's when I decided to go with Maxie back to Seattle. You know, check it out, see the sights, see if I can figure out why she's so gung ho about this freedom thing. Been here ever since." 494 finished with a simple gesture at the city stretched out before them.

His tone of voice indicated that he didn't really care much about any of it, but I knew better. It was obvious that he felt strongly about 452. He wouldn't have stuck around if he didn't.

"She's pretty special, huh?" I asked.

"Who, Maxie? Yeah, I guess. Considering she's supposed to be the savior of the world or some crap like that."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Sandeman encrypted some message into her genes that showed up as some ancient doodles. Translated they said something about the meek getting the planet or something and she's supposed to be 'the one.' Don't ask me. All I know is that if she's some savior, we could sure use her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, things have gone crazy around here. Ordinaries hate us. Cops have been finding new ways of hunting us down. Apparently, they're tracking us by our body heat. X-5's run a little higher than normal or something like that. People are forming gangs to keep the streets clean of 'trannies.' Friend of mine was killed about a week ago." he paused to dispel the pain that was becoming evident in his face, "That's why we have to be so careful. Speaking of which, if you two are going on the outside, you need to get rid of those barcodes. We jacked some tattoo removal crap. Hurts like a bitch, but it'll do the trick for at least a few weeks. It's risky out there. We try to get some ordinary friends of our to bring us stuff, but there's a lot of people here, you know. But the less you're seen the better."

"You weren't too worried about being seen last night." I reminded him.

"Yeah, that." he rubbed the back of his neck, "I shouldn't have been doing that. Don't do as I do. I was just...going stir crazy, you know. Had to get out, do something...or someone. Don't tell Max."

I was surprised by the fact that his last sentence was a plea and not a command. I nodded mutely. I hadn't realized it was so bad.

"About that kiss." 494 said, keeping his eyes straight forward.

"What about it?" I managed to ask, careful to keep any emotion out of my voice, making it sound like I didn't care.

"I wasn't thinking." 

"Of course not."

"It didn't mean anything."

"Nothing."

"Never even happened."

"Exactly."

I'd barely gotten the word out of my mouth when 494 whipped around and began kissing me. This time it was heated, passionate, closer to the kiss he had given me months ago. Only this time I responded, lifting my hand to the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair as I kissed him back.

"I don't...know why...I'm doing this." 494 said against my lips in between kisses.

"Me...neither." I responded.

"We should...stop." he suggested, without making any move to do so himself.

"Probably." I agreed, also not making any attempt to do so.

Suddenly, a loud tapping noise assaulted my ears. 494 and I both froze and turned our heads to the side. An irate looking Kira stood before us with her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping angrily.

"I've spent about half an hour looking for you." she said, her voice clipped.

"I told you I wanted to be alone." I replied, knowing that wouldn't help my case.

"You don't look alone."

"Damn. I was hoping I was invisible." 494 mumbled.

"You." Kira's eyes locked on 494, "You have been nothing but trouble for her."

"Yeah, sounds like me." he agreed with a hint of a grin.

"You've done nothing but hurt and confuse her."

"I didn't mean..."

"Bullshit."

"You two are a lot alike when you're mad."

"Shut up."

Kira spun on her heel and looked like she was going to storm off, but she stopped at the edge of the roof.

"I know you think that you're the one who has to protect me, Jess." she said, her voice low, "But right now I really think that you're the one who needs protecting."

With that she disappeared over the edge of the building. I stared at the spot she had last occupied.

"She thinks you need to be protected from me."

494 tried to sound amused, but I detected the hurt in his voice.

"She doesn't understand."

"I don't even understand."

"She remembers only who you were in Manticore. She remembers your reputation. All the stories we heard about your missions. but you're not that person anymore. Are you?" I looked at him questioningly.

"Yes and no. Not completely. Not anymore. But he's still there. Ready when I need him. 494, the good soldier." he made a face.

"Alec?" I asked after allowing him a moment with his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"About that kiss."

"Yeah?"

"It was good."

He beamed.

"But you're still not my type."

I grinned as I stood and left a mystified 494 on the rooftop. I was pleased that I had been able to comeback with an "Alec-like" remark.

Now I just had to find Kira and try to make amends. Best to do it now before she had time to sulk.


	5. Fun

****

Fun

I checked our new quarters first and then the buildings in the vicinity. Kira was in none of them. Finally, I gave up and went to HQ to see if anyone had seen her.

Upon entering, I immediately spotted Kira talking to 452/Max. I increased my hearing in an attempt to discover what they were talking about, but all I could make out was the words 494, trouble, and problem. Just from that much I knew this was not going to be pleasant.

Slowly, nonchalantly, I approached. Kira and Max both looked up and stopped talking.

"Oh, no. Go ahead. Continue bashing Alec. By all means." I said, doing a poor job of veiling my disapproval and anger.

"We weren't..." Max began.

"Right." I interrupted sarcastically.

"Look, Jess. Max has been with him for awhile now. He hasn't turned into some kind of saint on the outside. He's unreliable, a womanizer, lazy, and self-centered. He once agreed to kill and skin three transgenics of their barcodes in exchange for his life. Is that the kind of person you want to get involved with?"

I glared at Kira silently. I felt more than saw Max shift uncomfortably.

"You make it sound so much worse when you say it like that." she said quietly, "He's done good things, too. They're just hard to remember because he screws up so much and he's so annoying. And that particular incident wasn't too long after he got out of Manticore and he didn't complete the deal. He's changed since then."

She sounded reluctant to admit that, confirming my suspicion that Alec was a better person than they were giving him credit for.

"I know you don't like him, Kira." I said, forcing myself to keep a cool head, "But you are being irrationally judgmental."

Kira stared at me incredulously. She obviously couldn't believe I had criticized her in such a Manticore fashion.

"Besides that, you can't understand what's between us. He means something to me. Something I can't explain. Even if I wanted to forget him like you keep telling me to, I wouldn't be able to." I concluded.

I turned to leave.

"I just don't want him to hurt you again." Kira stopped me with her quiet admission.

"I can take care of myself." I assured her, my anger instantly dissipating.

Kira didn't reply so I continued out the door.

I busied myself the rest of that day helping out around Terminal City. I didn't openly avoid Kira, but I didn't seek her out either. It wasn't that I was angry with her anymore, it was that I didn't want her opinion of 494 until I had my own figured out.

"So what if he has his faults?" I asked out loud.

His faults only helped to erase the perfect 494 of Manticore.

"And so what if he's made some mistakes?"

I'd made plenty of my own, after all.

"Besides, what do they know anyway?"

I threw a final piece of trash in the bag I was carrying and straightened to survey the room. Satisfied, I turned to leave.

"What does who know about what?"

494 sneaking up on me was really getting tiresome.

"Are you stalking me?" I asked as I pushed past him out the door and headed towards the dumpster.

"Of course not. I'm not that desperate." he replied easily, "I asked Max and she said you were over here."

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm just bored. Wondered if maybe you wanted to go do something."

"Like?"

I flipped open the dumpster lid and tossed the trash bag inside. 494 leaned his back against the dumpster and looked at me with a smile.

"Oh, I don't know. We've got a bar. We could go play pool, trade Manticore stories. Or we could go harass Max, one of my personal favorite pastimes. Or, if you want, we could sneak out and take a spin."

It was obvious from the way he said it that he preferred the last.

"A spin?" I asked.

His smile got wider.

"I've got a dirt bike. And I know where you can find a motorcycle to...uh...borrow." he pulled a key chain out of his pocket with one key dangling on it.

"Without the owner's knowledge, I assume."

"That would probably be best."

"Its Max's, isn't it?"

"Ding ding. We have a winner." he quipped.

"She'll be mad, won't she?"

"Only if she finds out. Come on. Let's go." 494 grabbed my arm and began tugging me after him.

I let myself be pulled, feeling slightly amused. 494 led me all the way back to HQ before he released my arm. He signaled to me to be quiet and to follow him. I stalked after him as he circled the building, cautious for any guards on the lookout. We were very careful to dodge all the patrols and finally made it to the location of all the transgenics' vehicles. 494 pointed out a beautiful black motorcycle to me and I immediately understood why Max would be so protective of the machine. It was an amazing bike and now that I had seen it, the desire to ride it was irresistible. I felt myself begin to grin as I creeped up to the motorcycle. 494 took hold of the handlebars on a green bike to my left and led the way towards the fence. He chose to exit towards the rear of Terminal City in an area where not many transgenics were yet being housed. He signed to me to wait a second while he disappeared around a building. He reappeared a moment later carrying a large board. He then proceeded to set up a ramp that would give us enough height to clear the fence if we hit it at a high enough speed. I felt myself grin again.

"After you." 494 whispered, tossing me the key to the bike.

"My pleasure." I replied, mounting Max's bike and starting it.

I turned the bike around and rode far enough back to give me a chance to accelerate before I hit the ramp. Revving the engine once, I took off, careful of my alignment since the ramp wasn't very wide. Once I was confident of my approach, I turned my head and winked at 494 before hitting the ramp and sailing over the fence. I landed neatly on the street on the other side and swerved to a stop.

I looked up to see if 494 was coming and was surprised to see that he was already in the air, sailing over the fence and landing nearer to me than was comfortable. But unlike me, he did not stop, but continued to zoom down the street.

"Hurry up, Jess. We don't got all night." he called back.

I quickly turned and sped after him. I wasn't too familiar with the city yet, so I stayed on his right flank, letting him lead. We traveled fast, not stopping for anything. A quick swerve to avoid a car, accelerate to blow through an intersection before the other traffic could reach it, a fast turn to avoid a busy street. It was all fast and exhilarating. It was just what I needed to lighten my mood. I smiled and even laughed when 494 attempted to show off and almost ran into a truck.

After what seemed like no time at all, 494 pulled over and stopped. I followed suit, disappointed because I knew he was going to tell me it was time to head back.

"Having fun?" he asked, noticing the continued presence of a smile on my face.

I nodded. He smiled back at me.

"Good. Unfortunately, we've run out of sector. Gotta turn back or risk a run in with the cops."

My smile began to fade.

"Hey, don't be upset. We can find some other stuff to do to keep us entertained when we get back." he raised his eyebrows at me suggestively, but his face was teasing.

I made a quick decision.

"Race you." I said and immediately took off.

"Cheater!" 494 yelled at me, quick to follow.

We raced all the way back to the spot in the fence where we had exited. I was careful to backtrack our trail precisely, but still managed to keep slightly ahead of 494. Most likely because I had a better bike than he did.

"Beat you." I smirked.

"You cheated." he replied.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself."

"I let you win."

"Sure."

494 smiled at me. He looked amused at my pleasure over having beaten him.

"So how do we get the bikes back over?" I asked finally.

"Same way we got them on this side. See, I'm prepared." 494 quickly produced another ramp.

I let him go first this time, then followed. We shut off the bikes as soon as we were back over the fence. I disassembled and scattered the ramp on the Terminal City side while 494 jumped back over the fence and did the same to the other. He returned and we began to sneak the bikes back to their places. Amazingly, we weren't caught, a fact which seemed to make 494 extremely smug and cocky.

"Have to have a talk with Maxie about her crack security." he said happily as we walked away.

"So what now?" I asked.

"Let's go to the bar. That way when Max asks what we did tonight, we'll have an alibi." he said, "I'll play you a game of pool."

"And you'll buy me a beer."

"I will, will I? And why's that?"

"Because I beat you in that race. You owe me." I said simply.

"How do I get involved with these chicks? So pushy. So demanding. 'Buy me a beer, Alec.' 'Get me some gas, Alec.'" he shook his head.

"Oh, knock it off." I said, slugging him playfully in the shoulder.

"And abusive, too." he added, rubbing his arm as if I'd hurt him.

I rolled my eyes. I could see how 494's attitude could grate on Max's nerves. I, however, found him amusing. And fun. And interesting.

I quickly cleared my head of those thoughts. Tonight was not a night for confusing thoughts like the previous one. Tonight was a night for me to enjoy myself. I'd think about all that other stuff later.


	6. Morning After

****

Morning After

I groaned as bits of sunlight streamed through cracks in the boarded windows to wake me up. The first sensation that hit me was the pounding in my head. I felt like hell. Groggily, I attempted to remember why.

**_"Here's that beer I owe you."_**

"Nice try. You owe me another one, too. I won that game of pool, remember?" I reminded 494.

"About that...want to play again? Double or nothing."

"Hope you've got a tab."

That was right. I'd gotten drunk with 494. Well, actually I'd gotten drunk and he had laughed at me.

Of course, it had taken more than those three beers to get me drunk. But we had continued playing from that point and eventually it had become almost a challenge to see if I could drink all the beers I had won. I couldn't remember if I had been able to do so, but it didn't really matter anyway. All that mattered was that my head was going to explode and it was 494's fault.

Groaning again, I sat up. The room spun around me for a moment before settling back to normal. I carefully got up and stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee, hoping that might help my hangover. 

A knock at the door assaulted my ears, feeling as loud to my tortured brain as gun shots. I cringed and started for the door, but the caller didn't wait for me. Instead he opened the door after the fourth knock.

"Good morning, sunshine." 494 said brightly upon seeing me, "Dropped by to see how you're doing."

I growled at him in response and returned to my observation of the slowly percolating coffee. I heard him laugh softly and would have punched him if moving didn't hurt my head so much. Instead I dropped my head to rest it on the cool counter.

"Hangover?" 494 asked.

"Gee, you think?" I replied sarcastically.

"Sorry. I've been there. Here." he rummaged around in his jacket pockets and produced a few white pills, "I thought you might be feeling the effects of last night so I brought you some painkillers."

I would have deemed him a saint if my predicament hadn't been his fault to begin with. I snatched the pills from his hand faster than I'd thought I could move at present. I dry swallowed them quickly, hoping the faster I took them the faster they would take effect. 494 half smiled at me as he watched my actions. Just like he had the night before.

**_494 leaned against his pool cue and half smiled as he watched me line up my shot. I knew he was letting me win. He let me break each time, therefore eliminating his chances at winning. Unless, of course, I somehow screwed up._**

I glanced up at him suspiciously, wondering if he was expecting me to screw up. One look at his face and I dispelled that thought. He was having fun. He didn't mind losing.

"You don't look too concerned, Alec." I said as I sunk another ball, "I'm beginning to think you want to get me drunk."

"Me?" he asked innocently, eyes wide.

I laughed and he grinned what I'd come to think of as his trademark grin, the innocent look disappearing.

I circled the pool table, coming to his side for my next shot. I gently shoved him out of the way as I leaned over to shoot.

"Why ever would I do that?"

His breath tickled the back of my neck as he leaned over me to whisper in my ear. I shivered and my shot went wild, only managing to sink a ball out of sheer luck.

494 raised his eyebrows.

"Nice shot."

I shot him a look, but quickly looked away again before he saw the confusion in my face. I wondered if he knew what he was doing to me. Especially since I wasn't even sure.

"You're a jackass, you know." 

494 spread his hands in disbelief, looking indignant.

"I bring you painkillers and I'm a jackass. Have you been hanging around Max?" he asked suspiciously.

"Of course not. I was too busy letting you get me wasted." I said pointedly.

"Oh, so it's my fault you decided to drink a keg by yourself. On my tab, let me remind you. Damn, I'm such an asshole." he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. You were letting me win and you know it." I accused.

"So?"

"So my hangover is completely your fault."

"How do you get that from me letting you win?"

I couldn't believe my ears.

"We bet on every game. Loser buys winner a drink. Remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." he nodded.

"And you still don't see how this is your fault?"

"Nope."

"Idiot." I snapped, giving up.

"Hey, just cause I wanted to let you kick my ass at pool, let you build a little self-confidence, doesn't mean that I wanted to see you in pain the next day. Also, if I remember correctly, it was you who made the drinks part of the bargain." he finished smugly.

Damn. I'd forgotten that. In my gusto at having beaten 494 in our race and having gotten him to admit he owed me something with substance to signify the occurrence, I had wanted to repeat the performance. I hadn't really thought about the consequences. I'd just been so caught up in the fact that I had beaten 494. About a year before, before I had escaped Manticore, that would have been a delusional thought on my part. Never reality. So now when it had actually happened, I'd been caught up in the experience.

"Okay, so maybe it's not your fault." I admitted quietly, looking down at the floor.

The grungy tile offered a distraction from the smug, triumphant look that I was sure would be on 494's face if I looked. I was surprised when I felt a hesitant hand on my arm.

"Hey." he said softly, and I felt like I had to look at him.

I couldn't say anything so I simply stared into his eyes, fascinating by the depths in them as I waited for him to continue. He had always had such power, such presence in his eyes. Even when they had been cold. 494 had never been very withdrawn or distant. He had always been a definite presence in whatever he was doing. Whether he was being a callous soldier, hunting down two escaped X-5's, or being the concerned friend that he was now. Friend? Was that what he was to me now?

"I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have let you drink so much."

"Alec?"

"Yeah?"

"I...thank you."

"What? Why?" he asked confused.

"Thank you for...for just being Alec and for letting me be Jess. Thank you for being the 494 I knew you could be on the outside if you were just given the chance. Thank you for...being my friend?" that last was a question, asking him if I had gone too far in making the assumption that we were friends.

I glanced up at him worriedly, wondering what his reaction would be. Slowly, a smile appeared on his face. I felt a similar one appear on my own as I realized that he was pleased with what I had said.

"Thanks to you, too." he said, cautiously stepping closer to me and enfolding me in a gentle hug.

Once again he held me as if he was expecting to be pushed away at any second. But I wouldn't push him away. I couldn't. It felt too good to be held in his arms for me to end the contact. I realized that despite the fact the I had once tried with all my might to escape him, I now wanted nothing more than to be held close by him. To be surrounded by his warm, strong arms, to inhale his scent, to feel the rising and falling of his chest as he breathed. I had never before in my life felt the sense of security that arose in me at that moment.

I laid my head against his chest and listened to the soft beating of his heart. With all the crazed whirlwind of thoughts and emotions going on inside me in regards to 494, the sound of his heartbeat was steadying. It didn't matter who he was to me or how I felt about him or what our connection was. He was here. That was all that mattered.

"So...head feel better?" he asked finally. 

"Yeah." I mumbled in reply, not really thinking about what he had asked me.

"Okay. Well. I'd better go, then." he said, releasing me from his arms and taking a step back.

I instantly felt cold and alone.

"Will I see you later?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. I'll drop by later. Got some stuff to do." he said quickly as he headed for the door.

"Alec?" I called, feeling an urgent need to stop him from leaving.

He paused with his hand on the doorknob.

"What?"

I sighed.

"Nothing."

A second later he was gone.

I was growing too attached to him. I knew that. I also knew that it was dangerous to form such attachments. Especially now when our lives were so dangerous. I was only endangering myself and him, as well, by getting myself so attached. But I couldn't stop myself. He pervaded my thoughts and made me feel things that I had never felt before. And while I had called him a friend a few moments before, I knew that he was more than that. Kira was my friend. 494...Alec was something else entirely.


	7. Costume Party

****

Costume Party

Kira joined me later that day and informed me that we both needed to get our barcodes removed. Max wanted our help with something and to do the job we needed to be barcode free.

494 hadn't lied. It hurt like a bitch. But it wasn't too bad. I'd been through worse. Soon it was over and the pain quickly began to fade.

"Max wants us once we're done." Kira reminded me as she took her turn under the laser, "She said she'll explain our mission objective then."

"Okay." I acknowledged as I carefully began the process of erasing her designation.

Soon, we were both clear of our barcodes and headed back to HQ. Max was waiting for us when we arrived.

"You're here. Great." she said, motioning for us to follow her, "We've got a problem. I know you guys are new here and all, but we need all the X's we can get on this one."

"What's up?" Kira asked, sensing that this was serious.

Max motioned for her to wait a minute and opened a door. Inside were a dozen X-series, waiting in various positions of repose around a large desk. Kira and I entered and Max closed the door behind us.

"Okay. Here's the problem, people." Max began, "We've got a hostage situation. Kind of like the one we got stuck in at Jam Pony for those of you who remember. We've got a unit of X-6's holed up in a motel. They're scared and panicked. The only thing keeping the cops off of them are a few hostages. White's men are on his way. We have to get there first."

"And how do you plan on getting them out without having a shoot out?"

My eyes snapped to 494/Alec. I had seen him before when I walked in, but had been able to pretend like I hadn't noticed until now when he'd spoken.

"I've got a plan." Max said.

My sensitive hearing picked up on a faint groan from Alec. Max glared at him and I realized that I was starting to really think of him as Alec and not a simple designation.

"Shut up and pay attention." she snapped, "We don't have much time."

Her urgency reminded me of my own when Kira and I attempted our escape from Manticore.

**_"Come on, 772. We don't have much time." I urged._**

"I know." she replied, hurrying after me.

I hurriedly shoved all of our supplies into a few bags. We were on a mission and were due to return soon. But we weren't going to return. Ever, if things went my way.

But that meant we had to get as far from where we were as possible quickly.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Always." she grinned.

I knew she wasn't too sure about this, but she had never let me down before. She wouldn't abandon me now.

"Let's go."

"Alright, let's go, people." Max concluded and everyone moved out.

I blinked and followed suit. Alec appeared next to me.

"She's crazy. This isn't going to work." he looked to me for confirmation.

"We'll make it work." I replied firmly and increased my pace in an attempt to leave him behind and catch up with Kira.

Alec increased his own pace to match mine. I sighed in defeat. I wasn't sure why I was avoiding him, but it was hard to act like nothing had happened this morning. Maybe he didn't feel the same way, but that morning had been a revelation for me. I couldn't just pretend everything was the same.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as if sensing my thoughts.

"Nothing." I lied.

"Don't lie to me." he said harshly.

I looked at him in surprise. I hadn't known a simple lie would upset him so much.

"Look, let's talk about this later. We've got enough to worry about right now." I leveled with him.

He nodded, visibly going into mission mode. I did the same. I had only been here a couple days and they were already trusting me with a mission. I would not screw it up.

Kira was holding the door of a van open for me and I hopped inside. It was crowded inside with fourteen X-series inside. I pulled my knees into my chest and leaned back against the door, trying to take up the least space possible. I reviewed the plan in my head, over and over, making sure I knew exactly what I had to do. Suddenly, the van stopped.

"It's three blocks to the motel. You all know what you have to do." Max said as she opened the side door for us to get out.

I nodded. I waited for Kira to join me before we headed off towards the motel. We were stealthy and silent as we traveled, stopping only when we had reached the building across the street from our destination.

Police swarmed around the building which was good and bad for us. There was no sign of the unmarked black vehicles that Max said would signal White's arrival.

I singled out two officers that were walking our way, coming to retrieve something from their squad car. I pointed them out to Kira who nodded. We waited for them to come closer, then quickly made our move, snatching both men and dragging them quickly back into the shadows between the buildings. We rendered them unconscious, bound, gagged, and stripped them of their uniforms. Moments later, Kira and I were dressed as police officers and cautiously approaching the scene.

Max's plan was to assume the attire of a police unit so we could try to inconspicuously infiltrate the building. Once we were on the inside we could attempt to get the X-6's out under the guise of being our prisoners. Then, it would all be a matter of timing and luck. A lot of this relied on luck, actually. We would be lucky if we weren't made before the plan was executed. I hoped this would be our lucky night.

We remained on the outskirts of the police, using all our skills to be inconspicuous. I noticed Max and Alec on the other side of the perimeter the police had erected using their squad cars. I watched Max closely, waiting for her to make her move.

Kira and I were supposed to keep track of the movements of the Alpha team, the team Max would lead inside. We were backup incase things went sideways. Somewhere on the other side of the building were two more X's with the same job. The four of us plus another two watching from a nearby rooftop were Beta team.

Max and Alec began to move, circling to the side of the building, speaking into her radio, quickly moving in. The rest of Alpha team followed suit. Two followed Max and Alec. Two took the direct opposite side of the building. Two came in from the roof of the motel. That made all eight. The rest of the police force visibly tensed as Alpha team moved in. I couldn't tell if it was because they weren't sure what was going on and were suspicious or if it was because they were nervous about what would happen with the trapped transgenics inside. I prayed for the second.

Kira tapped my arm for attention and nodded up at the pair on the nearby rooftop. I focused my eyesight in on X6-356/Bryan. He was giving the all clear signal, but warned that the rear side perimeter was tightening. The police were getting anxious.

"Hurry up, Max." I muttered, turning back to the motel.

I could see through the glass doors into the main lobby, but couldn't see anyone. The X-6's were too smart to stand in such an exposed area. The rest of the windows were either boarded up or had curtains pulled shut over them. We were pretty blind for the time being, but Alpha team knew to send us a signal if they were in trouble.

However, that did nothing to calm my nerves any. I forced myself not to fidget, but couldn't keep from biting my lip. My eyes darted everywhere, trying to keep track of everything. I listened carefully for any bad noises. Like a scream or the sound of a gun being caulked. All I could hear was the sound of nervous cops talking, the crackling orders coming through the radio, and the voice of the police man talking through a megaphone to the transgenics inside. So far, so good.

The minutes passed with agonizing slowness. The police were demanding that Max tell them what was going on inside. She was making no reply. The police were starting to wonder if they should send someone else in.

Suddenly, the radio crackled to life with Alec's voice.

"It's okay. We got them. Repeat, situation all clear. Stand down. Sending out the hostages, then we'll bring out the prisoners."

I almost sighed with relief, but I knew that we weren't safe yet. I watched as people appeared in the lobby. The hostages burst through the doors and ran to the safety afforded them by the sector police.

That's when I was distracted by the sound of vehicles. Lots of them. I turned and saw numerous black vehicles pull up.

"Agent White and his men have arrived." I reported through my radio, trying to keep my voice level.

This was bad. Very bad. We had to get out of here before he recognized one of our team.

"Requesting prisoner transport to back up to lobby doors." Alec said.

"Why? What's going on in there?" demanded the police man who'd been talking on the megaphone.

"Just don't want to risk any problems with the prisoners, sir. You know what they are." Alec responded with the appropriate amount of disdain in his voice.

But underneath that I could detect the urgency he was feeling. I felt it, too. Just give him the damn transport already!

"Alright. Hang tight in there." the man that must be the police chief agreed finally.

Agonizingly slowly, a prisoner transport vehicle was back towards the door. At the same time, White was making his way towards the police chief, his men in tow.

Alpha team and the X-6's piled into the vehicle with amazing speed. Max appeared in the driver seat and I saw White's eyes narrow. Max stamped down on the gas just as White raised the alarm. Max barreled her way through the police barricade as the police fired frantically at the vehicle. White swore loudly as the vehicle disappeared down the street and quickly hurried back to his car to follow. Kira and I quickly withdrew.

Once we were out of plain sight, we ran as fast as we could back to the van. Bryan and his partner, an X-5 named Kiley were already there. A moment later and the last two members of Beta team arrived. We quickly piled in and headed at breakneck speed back to Terminal City. What happened to Max, Alec, the X-6's, and the others was out of our hands now. All we could do was hope that Max was able to lose White and meet them back at Terminal City.

The only problem was that we had to make sure we got to Terminal City first. If Max beat us there then White would be waiting outside the gates for us. That was why Kiley was driving so fast.

"Look! It's Max!" Del, another X-5, said, pointing out the window.

I looked and saw that sure enough, Max had just pulled out onto the street behind us. And right on her tail was White.

"Hurry up, Kiley!" Bryan urged.

"This is as fast as this stupid thing can go!" Kiley snapped back in frustration, "What do you want me to do? Get out and push?"

"Just shut up and drive." Bryan ordered, "We've only got 2.4 miles left to TC."

"What's up, Beta team?"

I jumped in surprise. I had forgotten we still had radios. I grabbed mine in order to reply to Alec.

"Just wishing you could've lost that guy for us." I replied.

"Not that easy. White's not the kinda guy to just let us skip on home. Got to ask you. You feel like doing something kinda risky?"

"What?"

"You guys armed?"

"Of course."

"How good's your aim?"

"Tell him not to worry about it." Del replied, already readying a weapon.

"What do you want us to do?" I asked.

"Drop back and take out White's tires. It probably won't stop him, but it'll take him a minute to regain control of the car at this speed. Should give us enough time to get the hell out of here. Problem is, you miss and he'll have you. He's armed, too, you know. I don't think he knows you guys are with us just yet. Bring him down with your first shot or you're screwed." Alec warned.

"Got it." Del nodded.

"We've got it, Alec." I relayed.

"See you back home, guys. Out." Alec said and his end of the radio clicked off.

I switched of my end as well. That was a risky conversation. Police probably heard it all. But, on second thought, it wasn't like it changed anything. The police already knew that we'd played them. We'd have to ditch the van anyway. The only problem would be if the police tried to warn White. Uh oh.

"Come on. We've got to do this before the police give White the head's up!" I warned.

The others instantly realized what I had. Kiley slammed on the brakes, then released them, almost instantly dropping us back behind Max. A few seconds later and we were even with White.

Del punched out the van window and took aim through it. I could see his eyes focused in on White's front tire, his gun trained on the target.

Then, I saw the guy next to White spot Del aiming his gun.

"Now!" I yelled.

Del fired. The tire exploded just as the guy next to White was pulling out a gun of his own. White's car swerved out of control and Kiley had to swerve to avoid being hit by it. We were quickly past White and out of range before he got control of the car. I grinned, feeling the adrenaline pumping through me.

"Nice shot." I congratulated Del.

"Yeah, nice work, partner." the X-4 who accompanied him, Tern agreed.

"Celebrate later. We're not home yet." Kiley silenced us as she whipped around a turn.

But soon we arrived back at Terminal City. The main gates opened to let us through and slammed shut as soon as we were past. Max was just opening the back doors for the Alpha team to get out as we pulled up behind her. She smiled brightly at us and gave us a thumbs up.

I jumped out of the van and took stock of all the gun shot marks on the police vehicle we had stolen. Good thing it was an armored vehicle.

"Knew I could count on you guys." Alec said as he jumped out of the back of the vehicle.

"We had your back." I nodded, still smiling from our successful completion of the mission. 

"Care for a celebratory drink? My treat."

I shot him a look. He held up his hands and grinned.

"Nothing alcoholic, I swear." he added.

"Well, okay...but only if you're buying for everyone. We are a team after all."

Alec groaned.

"You sure are a pain in the wallet." he said.

"I have expensive tastes." I offered.

"Whatever. We'll just say that you owe me some assistance when it comes time for me to supplement my income." he said.

I rolled my eyes and ignored him.

"Hey, guys! Successful mission drinks are on Alec!" I called to everybody.

That comment managed to get eleven of our team headed towards the bar. Max stayed behind, talking to the newest inhabitants of Terminal City, the four X-6's we had rescued. Kira stood with her back resting against the van as she waited for me. I motioned for her to come with as Alec and I headed off.

"Coming Maxie?" Alec called.

"Rain check. Let's just say you owe me one." she replied.

Alec rolled his eyes and jerked a thumb back towards Max.

"That's Max for you. I swear, she's getting as bad as Logan. Never has any fun." he turned to me and grinned, "So, how do you feel about guys in uniform?"

I looked him up and down, taking in the sight of Alec in a police uniform.

"Doesn't suit you." I said finally, "Maybe you should try something more...janitorial?"

I smirked as he shot me an outraged look. I even heard Kira snort at my remark. I grinned at her.

"We look like we're going to a police bar, don't we?" I asked, noting that the whole team was still in stolen uniforms as I walked into the bar.

"Nah. More like a costume party. None of us would really work for the long arm of the law." Kira replied.

I was pleased to see she was lightening up in Alec's company.

"Could be a smart idea. Pretend you're tracking down burglars when you're really making the robberies yourself." Alec mused.

"I wouldn't be surprised if half the cops are pulling that already." Kira sniffed in reply.

Kira had never liked the police. She had said once they reminded her of Manticore, but were much too sloppy to deserve any of the respect she had for the military operation.

"What'll you girls have?" Alec asked.

"Water's alright." Kira shrugged.

"Got any soda?" I asked.

"Not much, but I'll see what I can do." Alec nodded.

He left to go get our drinks from the bar.

"Not letting him get you drunk again?" Kira asked coldly.

I frowned. Apparently her previous attitude had been an act.

"I got myself drunk, thank you. And no, I don't care for another hang over. Especially not this early."

"I'm still not too sure about him, Jess."

"I know. But if you could just give him a chance." I pleaded.

It was so hard not to have her approval. I could deal with everyone else thinking I was wrong, I was used to that, but to have my best friend disapprove was really a blow.

She sighed heavily.

"I'll try."

I smiled. I knew that if she would just give Alec the chance, he would show her that he wasn't the heartless, arrogant bastard she thought he was. I just knew it.


	8. Timing

A/N: This chapter by request from one of my lovely reviewers. Thank you all very much for your comments. Some of you made some very good points and I'm glad that you are all enjoying this fic.

****

Timing

Kira was civil, almost friendly, towards Alec the rest of the hours we spent at the bar. But she also watched his every move carefully. He must have sensed that he was being watched because I noticed he was trying extra hard to be witty and charming. I couldn't tell if Kira bought it, but I was falling for hook, line, and sinker.

"Alright, well, it's been fun, kids, but I've got some stuff I've got to do." Kira said finally as it neared 1300, "I'll see you later."

"Later, Kira." I waved.

"See you." Alec called after her. He turned to me with his grin and a raised eyebrow, "I think she digs me."

"Oh, really?" I almost choked on my soda.

"Yeah. See how nice she was being to me? And notice that every time that you're around me she gets all mad? She's jealous. Totally digs me." Alec nodded.

"You're crazy." I informed him.

"No, really." he insisted.

"Psychotic." I said, walking away.

"She does!" he cried, following me.

"Delusional."

"Well, if you're so smart, you explain it." he challenged, looking sulky as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Why's she being nice to me all of a sudden?"

I raised an eyebrow slightly as I looked at him.

"Alright, I will." I said, "She's being nice to you because I asked her to."

Alec cocked his head and looked at me curiously, "But what's in it for you if she's nice to me? Why not just let her harp on me? I've heard it's fun to watch."

"Well, maybe I asked her to be nice to you because I dig you." I said, stepping closer to him.

He raised his eyebrows and I wondered to myself what I was doing.

"I thought I wasn't your type."

"Maybe I changed my mind."

My hand was on his chest. How had it gotten there?

"That a fact?" he grinned.

His grin was so sexy. So seductive. It made me want to close the space between us and capture his mouth in a kiss.

What the hell was going on with me?

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I froze.

"Shit." 

Alec's brow furrowed in confusion and he looked at me questioningly.

"Uh...nothing. I just remembered, I was supposed to be somewhere. Got to go." I blurted out an excuse to leave.

I turned to run for the door. Alec's hand captured my forearm. I looked from his hand, up his perfectly muscled arm, to his incredibly cute and sexy face.

"What's up, Jess?" he asked.

"I told you. I got to go." I said, struggling to free my arm.

"Where?" he pressed.

I sighed. I could not deal with this now.

I spun in towards Alec and elbowed him hard in the gut while at the same time wrapping my foot around his ankle and pulling his legs out from under him. He landed with a thud on the floor, letting go of my arm in his surprise. All activity around the bar stopped to look at us curiously. I ran out of the place as fast as my legs could take me.

This couldn't be happening now. It seemed like everything was happening all at once. Finding Alec, learning about Manticore, meeting Max, becoming accepted at Terminal City, escaping White, now this. It was just too much. I couldn't take this. Not now. Not with him here.

I remember the first time this happened to me, back at Manticore. They'd told us about it before, of course, to prepare us. But nothing could really prepare us for the actually occurrence. 

**_"Hey, 509. You're looking pretty good. Have you been working out?" I heard one of the stupid lines from our seduction training exiting my mouth._**

509 exchanged a look with our C.O. 857. I hardly noticed. I was much too busy noticing the way you could make out 509's muscles even through his PT shirt.

"613, you're not fit for duty. Report to a tac officer and request permission to visit the hospital wing." 857 ordered.

"I'm fine." I ignored him, stalking closer to 509 as he backed away uncertainly.

"You will report now before your condition effects the rest of the unit!" 857 appeared between us and shoved me backwards into the wall of our barracks.

The shock from hitting the hard wall knocked some sense into me and I realized what was wrong with me.

"Oh." I breathed in realization.

"Report now." 857 growled at me.

"Y...yes, sir." I stammered, afraid of the look that was coming into his eyes.

I hurried to our barrack's door and pounded on it until the tac officer watching over us came to see what was wrong. He took me to the hospital wing, amused by the fact that I was looking him over with a hungry look even though he was twice my age.

I'd been put in quarantine for two days. Only female contact. I had only been fourteen and I'd been scared out of my mind by what was happening to me. I'd never even thought about having sex with anyone. We'd just barely started our training in seduction operations. Plus, I'd never been completely isolated from my unit for so long. It had been horrible and had seemed like the longest two days of my life.

I'd been in heat again once since Kira and I left Manticore. I wasn't sure what to do without a secure quarantine area, but Kira had been there for me. She'd isolated me and kept me from doing anything with force when necessary. I'd done the same for her in return the two times she had gone into heat. But it had been difficult. It was hard to keep an X-5 from doing something they really wanted to. Which was why this was going to be such a bitch. Because like it or not, ready to accept it or not, Alec was my type. I had been attracted to him even before I'd gone into heat. So now I wanted him extremely badly and I wasn't sure if either Kira or I could stop myself from trying to get him.

Plus, there was another problem. When a female X-5 went into heat, male X-5's were effected by the pheromones given off. It made it extremely hard for the male X-5 to resist the female. I was a female X-5 in heat, surrounded by a city full of male X-5's. There was no telling what might happen when my pheromones hit them and made them all crazy.

I had to get out of here.

But that was a problem, too. There was no way I was going to be able to get out of Terminal City safely after what we had pulled this morning. I was trapped.

"Kira!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, feeling helpless.

I wasn't sure where my friend had gone. She hadn't mentioned what it was she had to do. But I had to find her and quick.

"Kira!" I yelled again.

"Hey, Jess! What's wrong? Kira's over on the west side."

It was Max. I quickly decided that she was my best shot with Kira out of range.

"Max." I hurried towards her, "I need your help."

"What's up?" she asked, immediately concerned.

"I...well, I...I'm in heat." I finally managed to spit it out.

Max's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth fell open slightly.

"Oh...oh!" she said, "That's bad."

"You think?" I snapped, feeling very edgy, "I'm in heat in the middle of a swarm of X-5's. You sure that's a bad thing?"

"Wait a minute. What does the fact that some of the guys are X-5 have to do with anything?" Max asked, confused.

I'd forgotten she'd escaped very young. I sighed in exasperation. I didn't have a lot of patience at the moment.

"We give off pheromones, Max. Drives the guys crazy. They can't help themselves anymore than we can. And with this many around they'll probably start going nuts and attacking each other to get to me. I can't be here." I said quickly.

"Hey! What are you guys talking about? Me, I'll bet."

"Oh, god." I breathed, feeling cornered.

Alec hurried over, Max looking at him horrified as she looked from me to him. I felt myself smile at him seductively.

"Hey." I said smoothly.

"Hey." Alec said, sounding surprised and confused, "Why'd you bail like that before? I know I'm a pain in the ass, but usually people don't knock me on my ass on the floor without at least a warning."

"Alec, I think you should go." Max interrupted pointedly.

"What? You're mad at me, too, now? What did I do?" Alec demanded.

"Just go, you jackass." Max yelled at him, planting herself between him and me.

"No, don't." I called around her.

Alec looked torn in indecision, unsure of who to listen to.

"Alec, you leave right now or so help me I will kick your ass so bad you won't be able to sit for a week!" Max threatened.

"Don't listen to her!" I pleaded, "She's just jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Alec asked in confusion, his curiosity keeping him there instead of leaving like he should.

"Jealous of us and the stuff we could be doing together right now." I looked at him suggestively and ran my tongue across my upper lip.

Alec's eyes widened and slowly he realized what was going on.

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah, no kidding." Max agreed sarcastically, "Now will you get out of here before you both do something you'll regret."

"Yeah...yeah, I'm going." he said, but he wasn't moving.

He was staring fixedly at me. I completely forgot about Max as I returned his stare. My eyes finally left his to trail down his body, taking in his perfect form. Even the unflattering police uniform could not detract from his incredible sexiness. I was suddenly struck by memories of the plan he had had to waste time on his mission to capture Kira and me.

**__**

494 gave me a suggestive look.

"I excelled in sexual performance training."

I shook my head, trying to get the image of that look on his face out of my head.

**__**

He twisted as he fell and I suddenly found myself pinned under his weight.

A shiver ran down my spine at the memory of being pinned under his body.

**__**

Before I could reply he was kissing me. He was very good at it, too. I wasn't sure what to do so I simply remained still. That is until I became short on air. I shoved 494 away and quickly refilled my lungs. He grinned his cocky grin at me again.

I licked my lips again as I remembered how he tasted.

**__**

He lowered his head and I felt his teeth on the crook of my neck. I gasped when he bit down hard on my skin. I felt a twinge of pain before he closed his mouth over the bite and nursed it with his tongue.

As if of its own accord, my hand rose to where the scar had been on my neck. That was it. I couldn't take this anymore.

"Alec..." my voice was barely a whisper and very strained.

The sound drew Max's attention to me. Alec took advantage of the opportunity to strike. The unsuspecting Max soon found herself unconscious. A second later I had stepped over her prostrate form and into Alec's arms. A second after that he was kissing me and I was pressing myself against him.

"Hey."

The voice was low and dangerous. It was enough to get our attention. We broke apart and I saw Del. He was crouched low, ready to attack.

"Back off, Del." Alec warned, pulling me behind him.

I watched with interest, wondering what was going to happen.

Del growled at him and edged closer.

"Back off!" Alec commanded.

Even from my position behind him, looking over his shoulder, I could see the fire in his eyes. Del froze, looking into Alec's eyes and weighing things carefully. Finally, Del looked down and began to back away. Alec had won the struggle for dominance. I smiled.

"Alec." I said again, drawing his attention back to me.

He turned to me and I saw his eyes fill with a new emotion. Hunger. He pulled me to him forcefully and smashed my mouth with another kiss. I welcomed the force, kissing him back with equal strength.

Suddenly, Alec pulled away. I clamped down on the feeling of abandonment that surged through me and looked at him curiously, wondering what had drawn his attention this time.

It was Max. She was stirring. Alec looked at me, then back at Max. He grabbed my hand and began to lead me away. I followed quickly after him, hoping the faster we got wherever we were going the sooner he would return his attention to me.

Our fast walk soon broke into a run and eventually we found ourselves at the empty part of Terminal City where we had made our jump over the perimeter fence by motorcycle. Alec kicked in the door to a building and we both hurried inside.

Alec let go of my hand to barricade the door. I watched him, my eyes wandering down to his ass.

Alec whirled around and flashed me a grin. I felt like I was going to die I wanted him so bad.

Suddenly, he had his arms around me again and was kissing me. I moaned into the kiss, feeling relieved now that he was touching me again, but also feeling desperate to take the contact further.

"Jess..." he breathed my name as he moved his mouth from my own to my neck.

The sound of him saying my name like that was almost too much to bear.

Alec yanked my shirt collar down off my neck and onto my arm to reveal the spot where he had left the mark on my skin. His mouth covered the spot and I felt him bite down, breaking the skin a second time. I gasped, feeling like I was falling even though I knew I hadn't moved. My skin tingled all over.

I grabbed Alec's shirt and ripped it open, popping off all the buttons, revealing his perfectly sculpted chest. I ran my hands over his skin. I felt feverish. It was ridiculous how much I needed him.

Alec returned the gesture in kind. Buttons littered the floor.

"Alec!" I snapped.

Foreplay was not a good idea right now. I needed him to get on with it.

He grunted an unintelligible response and quickly began undoing his pants. I did the same, shucking off the ruined police shirt, as well. In seconds, we were both in our underwear.

Pounding on the door made us both freeze.

The growls told us it was some male X-5 that had tracked us down.

"It's okay. He won't get in." Alec assured me, reaching for me.

I nodded and returned to him. His hands were on my hips, about to pull off my underpants.

The pounding suddenly stopped and we both looked at the barricaded door in surprise. Suddenly, a body came hurtling through the window, shattering the glass. The figure dove into a somersault and rose. It was Max.

"Forgot the fucking window." Alec swore.

"You're so going to pay for knocking me out, you asshole." Max snapped, eyes narrowed.

She flew at Alec who was forced to push me out of the way. I was shaking with need and so stumbled and fell to the ground. I felt like I was about to burst into flames or implode or something. My body couldn't do anything but scream for Alec. I watched the fight helplessly.

The fight was fast and furious. Max was really mad at Alec and desperate to stop him from doing what we had been about to do. Alec was acting out of pure instinct, lashing out at anything that was keeping him from me. So while he might be stronger and better trained and possibly faster than Max, he wasn't thinking clearly. Plus, he was almost naked except for his boxers. Booted feet tended to pack more punch than bare ones. That made the fight pretty even.

However, the blow that finally took Alec down was a desperate one. It was a hard, swift kick to the groin. Alec crumpled in pain, falling to the ground. Max followed the blow with a kick to the head that sent Alec into unconsciousness. I would have cried out in disappointment if I could have found control of my voice.

"As for you..." Max stomped towards me, still radiating anger, "you have the worst timing."

My head exploded with pain and everything went black.


	9. Reflecting

****

Reflecting

For the second time in one day I woke up groaning, my head killing me. But that was where the similarity ended between the two experiences. This time I woke to find myself handcuffed to the metal bars of a window, sitting in a chair inside a small room. Besides myself, the chair, and the window, the room was featureless and barren. The only other object in the room was the closed door. I also noticed that I was wearing my half destroyed police uniform. Instantly, I remembered what had happened.

"Max!" I yelled angrily, pulling at the handcuffs.

No response. I sighed in frustration. This sucked.

With nothing better to do in my prison, I began to reflect. My mind began to wander to the image of Alec in nothing but his boxers, but I forced myself not to think about that. Instead I thought about how I'd been thinking these past couple days about how much Alec had changed, when really I had changed a lot myself. I didn't think of everything in terms of a mission anymore. I'd developed a personality other than the hateful, stubborn soldier of Manticore. I'd become a girl who enjoyed racing motorcycles, playing pool, watching television, reading books, and just relaxing with my friends. All things that one didn't indulge in at Manticore. I'd discovered my favorite color was blue, I liked the pre-Pulse rock music that Kira listened to, and loved pizza. The last time I had seen Alec when he had been 494, I had still been 613. Since then, slowly, over time, I had become Jess. Sure, it was still hard to shake the old Manticore habits, but that was to be expected. I'd lived there for about nineteen years after all. It was hard to believe I'd been out for almost a year now. Almost a whole year as a free person. The familiar fear that I might wake up and find this had all been a dream came to me.

No, it was definitely not a dream. I felt too much like hell at the moment for this to be a dream. The next twenty or so hours were going to be absolute hell. Especially when I had the memory of how close I had been to just getting it over with.

Alec was so hot.

"Stop it." I ordered myself.

Well, he was.

This was crazy. I was crazy. I would go crazy if Max didn't let me out of here. It would all be over so quickly if I could just get out of here.

Alec sure was yummy.

I just used the word yummy. This had to stop.

"Max!"

I was about to yell again when I heard the sound of an argument outside my door. I listened closely. I couldn't really tell what they were saying, but I could identify the voices as those belonging to Max and Alec.

Alec...

"Hey, babe." Alec's voice came through the door.

"Alec!" I called, trembling with need all over again just from the mere sound of his voice.

"Oh, please don't talk like that." Alec pleaded, "I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I'm sorry I...I couldn't stop myself. I should never have even let it go that far. Thank God Max showed up. Anyway, once again I'm sorry and I'll...uh...see you once you're better."

"Please don't go!" I called.

No response. I almost felt like I would cry in frustration. I struggled to get control of myself.

"So, Max." I called, "How'd you find us?"

At first she didn't reply. And when she did her voice was reluctant. But I was grateful for the distraction.

"Well, no one in TC has been in heat before. We've only been barricaded in here for twelve days. But I remembered what you said about the guys and pheromones. So, I followed Yang. He was acting weird. Had a hunch it was because of you."

"So you've never been around other X-5's when you're...like this?" I asked, pulling at my handcuffs again.

"Nope. And now that I know what's gonna happen, I'm really not looking forward to it."

"Back at Manticore, they'd quarantine us as soon as they found out what was going on. They'd run tests, drug us sometimes. Not too fun, but better than reeking havoc on he unit."

"So...you've never...done anything while you've been in heat?" Max sounded surprised.

"No." I couldn't keep the bitterness from my voice as I thought once again about Alec.

"Hey, you're lucky. You have no idea how much it bites to deal with the repercussions."

"Not like we can help it." I shrugged.

"Yeah, well, most people don't get that. And it's hard to explain to them that because our genes are spliced with cat DNA that we get flipped out horny every once in awhile. Besides, I for one don't want to give them any more reason to treat us like animals."

Now, she was the bitter one.

"This sucks, Max." I said finally.

"I know." she agreed, "Just hang tight. We're going to beat this bitch."

I sighed.

"Does Kira know where I am?"

"Already on it. Alec went to find her."

Good. Kira would think of something to pass the time and keep me distracted. Keep me from thinking about how Alec's pecs had felt under my hands. Keep me from thinking about how it felt to have his tongue in my mouth, exploring. Keep me from thinking about the way he had looked at me.

Oh, God. I had to stop this.

The small room I was in felt like a sauna. I peeled off my jacket, letting it hang on my handcuff chain. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

"Jess, it's me."

Kira. It was about time!

I watched closely as the door was unlocked and Kira entered. She nodded to Max who closed the door behind her, locking her inside with me.

"How are you doing?" she asked me.

"Peachy." I said sarcastically.

My attitude was never very good when I was in heat.

"I'm sorry." Kira apologized, "But it'll be over soon."

"Right." I sniffed skeptically. I glanced out the barred window, trying to gage what time it was by the light that shown through it, "What time is it now anyway? 1400, 1500?"

Before I could turn back around to look at Kira, I felt a sharp prick on my arm. I glanced down and saw that Kira had raced over and injected me with something. I tried to jerk my arm away, but she was already finished.

"By the time you wake up, you'll be out of this." she assured me.

My vision was already starting to blur. I growled at her angrily, but was unable to muster the strength to yell at her. My body felt very heavy. I struggled for a moment, but failed to stay awake. My eyes closed with finality and I fell asleep.

**_I woke up panting, in a state of real panic. I looked around quickly and realized that I was in the barracks. The rest of my unit were all still asleep._**

Confusion arose in me. What was going on? A moment ago I had been running through the woods around Manticore, chased by someone or something that I knew would kill me as soon as it caught up to me. And no matter how fast I ran, it was always gaining.

It had to be some sort of test. I would question 857 at reveille as to whether I had passed or failed. In the meantime, I laid on my bunk, staring at the ceiling, wondering how Manticore had returned me to my bunk without my knowing.

I woke up from my dream and was reassured by the fact that I wasn't at Manticore. Manticore would never allow sky blue paint on the ceiling.

I'd dreamt of my first dream. I'd been about three. It was one of my first memories. I'd woken up from dreaming and hadn't known that it wasn't real. And logically, since everything that didn't make sense must be some sort of test, I had deduced that this was just another strange simulation that Manticore had put me through.

Apparently, it was rather abnormal for me not to have dreamt before. I was informed that most children dreamt before they were even born. But I wasn't like most children in many regards. What was one more abnormality?

I sighed and looked around the room I was in. It was a pleasant room. There was a large window to the left of the bed I was laying in, framed by dark blue curtains. A bed-side table next to me held a small lamp and an alarm clock. The door was across the room from the foot of the bed, painted white.

I rolled over to look at the other side of the room and discovered that I wasn't alone in bed. I pushed myself up on my elbow, careful not to disturb the person next to me. He was turned away from me, sleeping with his head resting on his arm. But his short brown hair left his barcode exposed.

It was Alec.

I felt like maybe I should be surprised, but I wasn't. I felt...peaceful, happy. I smiled a little and watched as Alec slept. His face was relaxed and peaceful. He looked innocent. I felt a distinct twinge in my chest as I watched his mouth open slightly as he expelled a sigh. A word arose to describe him that I had never thought I would ever use in conjunction with X5-494: adorable.

Alec began to stir and his eyes slowly opened. He rolled onto his back and looked up at me. A smile played across his lips.

"Good morning." he said softly.

"Morning." I replied, not wanting to move, enjoying the moment.

"Sleep good?" he asked.

"Fine. You?"

"I dreamt about you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I dreamt about that time you were in heat. You know, when you couldn't resist my sexy bod." he grinned at me and winked. I gave him a patient smile in return, "Remember how upset we both were after it was all over? And then, all of a sudden, I burst out with 'I love you.' You were so shocked. But trust me, I was just as surprised as you were. I'd been trying really hard not to have feelings for you at all and then all of a sudden I loved you? Plus, I was half-expecting you to laugh at me or something. Boy, that would have sucked."

He paused and cocked his head as he looked at me.

"But you didn't laugh. You smiled. And you hugged me. And you said you loved me, too." he smiled, "I knew then that you were out of your mind."

I would have responded with a smart remark, but I wasn't feeling very good. Something had to be wrong with me because I couldn't remember the scene Alec was describing. I frowned.

"Something wrong?" Alec asked, concerned.

I shook my head and forced a smile.

"Of course not."

"Good. 'Cause I don't want my girl to be unhappy." Alec said, reaching out with his arms and pulling me down to him. He planted a kiss on my lips, "Besides, you know Kira would kill me if I didn't keep you happy."

"How could I be unhappy when I'm with you?" I answered truthfully.

Alec smiled again and rose to get out of bed. I took in his appearance, naked except for his boxers, and recognized the pair as the same ones he had been wearing when I'd been in heat in Terminal City. Funny how I couldn't remember anything past that. I wondered how long had past since then.

"Come on, beautiful. You've got to get up. We've got stuff to do." Alec prodded over his shoulder as he dressed.

I nodded and slipped out of bed. I looked down as I stood, taking in my appearance. I was wearing what appeared to be a pair of Alec's boxers judging from their size and a sports bra.

"I'm going to want those back." Alec said, also looking at the boxers I was wearing.

"What if I don't give them back?" I asked, relaxing.

I must have just taken a blow to the head recently. My memory would come back. There was no point in worrying about it or getting Alec worked up about it. Besides, how could I be upset when everything around me was so perfect?

"Well..." Alec said slowly as he approached. I watched him warily, "I might just have to take them then."

He grabbed the hem of the boxers and pulled, causing me to stumble forward into him. He kissed me again and I sighed into the kiss. The twinge in my chest came again and I felt a swell of emotion. This all felt so right. Being here with Alec, kissing him,...loving him, it was all so right.

"I love you." I whispered as he pulled away.

His eyes sparkled as he looked at me.

"I know, babe. I love you, too."

I gasped and opened my eyes. I was sitting on a hard chair in a dark room, chained to the bars on a window. It had been a dream. Oh, god. It had been a dream. Of all the injustices of life, this one was unduly harsh.

As reality set in, I let go of my anger at having been cheated the life in my dream and realized what the dream had shown me. I had stronger feelings for Alec then I thought.

I smacked myself hard in the face. I would not allow myself to be this stupid. I would not drawn conclusions from heat-induced dreams. That would just be inviting trouble. I was attracted to Alec, he was my friend, he understood me. I was going to leave it at that. That was enough to accept for now.

"Kira? Max?" I called.

The door unlocked and Kira entered. She smiled at me.

"Welcome back." she said, "You've been asleep for longer than I thought you would be."

"What time is it?" I asked.

"1100. You should be well out of it now." she assured me.

I smiled in relief. Kira undid my handcuffs and I stood, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. But it was worth it. It was over.


	10. Joshua

A/N: Let me know if Alec is hurt enough for you. If not, hang tight. I'm sure more pain will come to him. He just seems to attract pain like a magnet, doesn't he? Also, if the painting of Joshua's Alec painting seems off or vague, it's because I can't find a pic of it and I don't remember what it looks like exactly. Thanks for reviewing, all of you! Keep it up. And finally, if you want to check out the other stuff I've written, it's at www.geocities.com/kritsdarkangel, but I warn you now that I have a nasty habit of not finishing stories that I start. I'm working on it, so hopefully I won't leave you guys hanging with this one.  
  
Joshua  
  
I emerged from my prison rather joyfully, thinking only of the fact that I was no longer in heat. No longer was I the reason for stress and turmoil in Terminal City. No longer did I need a babysitter.  
  
I followed Kira down the hall from my room. She opened a door and revealed that the room I had been held in was in a part of HQ. I waved cheerfully to Max, then froze when I saw Alec.  
  
He was across the room from me, talking to Dix and Mole, but I could clearly see the purple bruises. He had one on his temple and one around his eye, both from the fight he had had with Max. Because of me. I also noticed the way he was standing, not his normal stance. I winced as I remembered the cause of this abnormality. That had to have hurt very badly.  
  
I wanted to go to him and tell him I was sorry for all the trouble and hurt I'd caused him. I wanted to hear him reassure me and tell me it wasn't my fault, that I couldn't help what happened while I was in heat. But I couldn't bring myself to approach him. Not after what had almost happened between us. Not after the dream I had had. Not after the thoughts I had had about him.  
  
"Aren't you going to go to him?" Kira asked, noticing where I was staring.  
  
I shook my head mutely.  
  
"Why not?" she asked, "You're not avoiding him because of what happened, are you?"  
  
I made no move to either confirm or deny her suspicion. She took that as confirmation.  
  
"Jess, you know that whatever happens while we are in heat doesn't count. It's just hormones, nothing more. Besides, it's not like you actually went through with it. Now, I know you like him so go talk to him." Kira urged.  
  
I was surprised at her. Wasn't she the one who wanted me to stay away from Alec? I gave her a look of confusion. She smiled.  
  
"I know I'm a big hypocrite, but I could tell yesterday that it meant a lot to him that I approve and leave you two in peace. I still don't think he's very good news, but maybe he's not so bad either. Maybe. And I know you. If you don't sort this out now, it'll just grow and grow inside of you until you do something stupid. So, go talk to him. It'll be fine." she promised.  
  
I was a little offended by her assessment of my behavior, but I had to grudgingly admit that she was right. I did tend to let things build inside of me until I was about to burst. A habit from Manticore where we were taught to keep any emotions we felt buried inside.  
  
And it was good that Kira had at least moved Alec up to probation. She was still willing to give him a chance.  
  
So far things were taking a turn for the better. Maybe I should give it a shot, forget my embarrassment and awkwardness, and just try to sort some things out with Alec. At least, apologize for the pain I'd put him through.  
  
I nodded determinedly to Kira and marched across the room to Alec. I stopped, barely keeping myself from standing at attention as I waited for him to notice me.  
  
"So, I'm thinking maybe we just make a raid on a warehouse instead of sending one person out here and another out there. Get ourselves some supplies that will last a little while. Problem is my plan doesn't exactly follow Max's 'lay low' rule. You think we can convince her?" he asked the two transgenics, refusing to acknowledge my presence.  
  
I cleared my throat pointedly. It was obvious that Mole and Dix were now more curious as to what was going on than they were focusing on Alec's plan.  
  
"Look's like you've got some business to take care of." Dix smiled, looking from me to Alec, "We can talk about this later."  
  
With that, he and Mole beat a retreat to another part of HQ, abandoning Alec. Slowly, reluctantly, he turned to face me.  
  
"Hi, Jess!" he greeted me with a smile as if he hadn't just been avoiding me, as if there was absolutely nothing the slightest bit wrong.  
  
"Alec, don't." I said, knowing he was putting up his walls against me.  
  
"What?" he asked, as if he didn't know.  
  
"Alec, please. I don't want to do this. I don't want you to treat me like...I don't know. Like a stranger. I'm sorry about what happened. I didn't want for it to happen, but it did and I'm sorry." I said quickly.  
  
For a second, I saw a hurt look appear on Alec's face, but then it was gone, replaced once again by his nonchalant smile. I frowned, confused. Why would he look hurt?  
  
"It's alright, Jess. No big deal." he said, adding a casual shrug for emphasis.  
  
With that, he turned and left, heading towards Dix and Mole. My frown deepened. I had really screwed things up this time and I wasn't even completely sure how.  
  
Frustrated and angry, at myself and at Alec, I trooped back over to Kira. She didn't say anything to me, but simply walked with me out of HQ. As soon as the door closed, I vented.  
  
"I can't believe he just did that! I didn't mean to do anything wrong! It's not like it was premeditated! How can he just blow me off like that when all I want to do is make things right again?" I would have said more, but words just wouldn't seem to form, so I left off with a low growl.  
  
"I don't want to say I told you so, but I tried to warn you that 494's not good for you. You think that because of something that happened between you months and months ago, because he let you escape, that he's this great guy. The truth is, you have no idea why he said or did those things. He might have been planning to track you after you ran off so that he could capture us both. That would have made more tactical sense than 494 suddenly having some sort of epiphany. And even if all that was just following orders, he's still not the kind of guy you want to get involved with. Even back at Manticore he was manipulative. He hasn't changed. The only person he cares about is himself. You hurt him, so now you're not good enough for him. That's how he works." her voice softened, "Besides, you deserve someone better, Jess. You're a good person. You got me out of Manticore, gave me a life. You risked everything by doing that. It would have been so much easier for you to have just gone on the lam on your own. But you didn't and I owe you one for that."  
  
I focused my gaze firmly on the pavement under my feet. I didn't want to hear what Kira was saying. Even though I was mad at Alec, I still couldn't forget all that we had been through in our short amount of time together. It would be very hard for me to turn my back on that and accept that Alec was still the same self-serving, uncaring person he had been at Manticore.  
  
"I'm going for a walk. I have to think about some things." I said finally.  
  
I didn't wait for a reply, but set off immediately, hoping Kira wouldn't try to follow. When I was about a block away from her, I relaxed a little. I stopped focusing so intently on where I was going and let my mind wander, not caring where my feet took me.  
  
Kira was right about one thing. How I felt about 494 was pretty screwed up. I could hardly keep track of my feelings myself. It was like the roller coasters I had read about, going up and down and spiraling, all at high speed. If only things would slow down so I didn't feel so lost.  
  
Excluding the first time I'd met him when he'd hurt me and our last encounter, Alec had always opened up to me and in return I'd developed feelings for him. I knew that. What I didn't know, and in truth was afraid to know, was the extent of those feelings. Did I really love him? Or was that just something my addled brains had cooked up, an exaggeration upon my true feelings?  
  
I sighed. What I really wanted to know was if Alec had any feelings for me in return. Or was I just someone to do, like he'd been looking for when I'd found him in that bar? No, I couldn't believe that. He wouldn't have opened up to me if that were true.  
  
I just wished there was someway to know the truth. What was up with Alec, how did he feel about me, why was he mad at me? If I could just somehow manage to ask him and have him answer me truthfully..., but who was I kidding? I could never flat-out ask him if he felt about me the way I felt about him.  
  
But the second part, the part about why he was mad at me. That I could do. As long as he didn't blow me off again. It hurt too much when he did that.  
  
I stopped and looked around. The first thing I noticed was that it was darker than it should be at mid-day. I looked up and noticed the dark, angry clouds that signaled coming rain. Then, I noticed where I was. I was in the middle of a bustling area of Terminal City. This area housed more of the less-human looking transgenics, but I wasn't the only X-series on the street and therefore did not call much attention to myself. I observed for a moment how life went on, even in Terminal City. A female transgenic who definitely had some cat DNA was carrying an armful of foodstuffs, an X-8 was following an arctic division, easily identifiable thanks to his snowy complexion, speaking to him rapidly, and coming towards me was a very tall man who was clearly part dog, carrying a can of paint. I recognized this last person as someone I'd been introduced to before when Kira and I had first reported to Max to go get our things. It was Joshua.  
  
"Hey, Joshua!" I called.  
  
He looked up and saw me. He smiled at me hesitantly.  
  
"Hey, Jess." he replied.  
  
"What are you doing, Joshua?" I asked, falling in next to him as he continued down the street.  
  
"Got more paint. Paint more pictures. That's the plan." he replied.  
  
I remembered that Alec had mentioned something about Joshua painting. I smiled slightly, amused that an artistic type had come out of Manticore.  
  
"Do you mind if I look at some of your paintings?" I asked, curious to know what they looked like.  
  
"Uh...no." he said, "This way."  
  
Joshua led me to where he was staying. Immediately upon entering, I saw that the place was packed with paintings. The walls were covered with them, and more were leaning against the walls in the corners. Most were rather abstract, something I found difficult to understand, but a few were portraits. All of the portraits were of the same woman, however. I found that odd, but chose not to ask.  
  
"Jess, look." Joshua called, setting down the paint can and hurrying over to a painting that I couldn't see from the angle I was at.  
  
Joshua seemed excited as he pointed at the painting. I walked over to see what it was.  
  
The painting was of a white dove. Behind it were three bands of color. The bottom one was black, the middle was red, and the top was white. I cocked my head, confused by its significance.  
  
"What does it mean?" I asked him carefully, not wanting to hurt his feelings.  
  
"Our flag." Joshua said shortly. Seeing that I still didn't understand, he continued, "See, this. Manticore. Darkness. Where we come from. This. Blood spilt today. This. Peace. Future."  
  
I stared at the painting in shock, amazed by how much sense it made.  
  
"It's perfect." I told him.  
  
Joshua didn't respond, but hurried over to another painting, gesturing for me to come see it.  
  
"What's this?" I asked.  
  
"Alec." he said.  
  
The painting was dark and swirled and confusing. I suddenly got the impression that Joshua knew about the inner turmoil that went on inside of Alec, too.  
  
"It is Alec." I agreed, still staring at the painting.  
  
I noted to myself that even if Joshua seemed a little slow in his speech, he was extremely perceptive.  
  
"Alec done bad things. But Alec not bad."   
  
Joshua surprised me with his sudden statement and the conviction that was in it.  
  
"I know." I nodded softly.  
  
"You like Alec." it wasn't a question.  
  
"Yes." I answered it anyway.  
  
"You and Alec get busy?"  
  
My eyes widened. Woah! That was not a question I was prepared for.  
  
"Uh...it's complicated." I replied, still reeling.  
  
Joshua seemed to accept that answer because he turned away from me. I began to look for a way to exit quickly without being noticed. I did not want to answer any more questions like that one.  
  
"Max and Logan like you. Complicated." Joshua said, "But look."  
  
I stopped looking for a way to escape and looked where Joshua was standing. In front of him was a painting on the wall. It was red and blue, soft in some spots, intense in others. It reminded me somehow of the meeting of two raging rivers.  
  
"Strong love." Joshua said.  
  
I couldn't get into this.  
  
"Look, Joshua. You're a terrific painter, really. But I have to go. I'll...uh...see you around." I said, backing hastily towards the door.  
  
"You talk with Alec." Joshua called after me as I made it out the door.  
  
I didn't reply, but continued to hurry out of the building. The building was two stories, probably an old apartment building or something. I'd made the stairs, thinking only of escaping into the fresh air. I could hear the rain pounding on the roof and welcomed the downpour. All I needed to do was get out the door.  
  
I stopped abruptly, halfway down the stairs. Alec was at the bottom.  
  
"Hey." he said.  
  
I felt like I was suffocating.  
  
Alec looked down and began to climb the stairs. He was almost past me when I unfroze.  
  
"Alec!" I cried suddenly, grabbing his arm.  
  
He stopped moving, but didn't look up.  
  
"Alec, please." I pleaded again, "Please, talk to me. I'm sorry. Just tell me what I can do to fix whatever I did wrong. Tell me why you're mad at me."  
  
Alec suddenly whipped around.  
  
"I'm not mad at you." he said, then turned back and began to climb the stairs again.  
  
"Then what?" I demanded.  
  
"Nothing." he grumbled, heading down the hall.  
  
I hurried back up the stairs after him.  
  
"Alec!"  
  
He continued on.  
  
"Alec!" I yelled again, more pointedly.  
  
"What the hell do you want from me?" Alec yelled back angrily.  
  
"Stop shutting me out, God damn it! Just tell me what's wrong!"  
  
"What's wrong?" he sounded incredulous, "You tell me you don't even want me and you want to know what's wrong? You admit that that kiss on the rooftop meant nothing to you and you want me to stop shutting you out? What the hell kind of game are you playing, anyway? Is this some kind of torture? See what you can get out of Alec. Use any means necessary. It's not like it matters how he feels."  
  
"Alec..." I shook my head, feeling my eyes well up and my throat tighten.  
  
He had it all wrong. How could he think that?  
  
"No. I don't want to hear some half-assed explanation. It doesn't matter. It was my fault anyway." he turned and opened the door to an apartment.  
  
I ran as fast as I could, arriving at the door before Alec could get through it.  
  
"That's it! I can't take it anymore! I didn't mean that I don't want you, you idiot! I meant that I didn't mean for you to get hurt! You know, when Max wiped the floor with you because of me? That's what I was saying sorry for. I'm not playing some sort of game. I just...I like you, okay?"  
  
"What?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I never meant for you to take it that way. I'm sorry, Alec." I replied.  
  
He ignored my reply and looked deep into my eyes.  
  
"You like me?"  
  
"So what if I do?" I looked away, feeling embarrassed.  
  
I glanced up at him and saw he was smiling. I heard him move and looked up when he wrapped his arms around me. Relief washed over me and I fell into his hug, wrapping my own arms around him in return. After a long moment that I relished, he took a step back.  
  
"You want to come in?" he asked.  
  
"Sure." I nodded, feeling like finally everything was right in my world.  
  
I was out of heat and Alec wasn't upset with me. I was happy. 


	11. Tough

****

Tough

"So. I'm curious. Does this mean you do want me?" Alec asked as he plopped himself into a recliner, raising an eyebrow at me and looking mischievous.

Things were definitely back on track. I smiled, glad that things were back to normal.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." I replied.

Alec's mischievous grin transformed into a happy smile.

"I'm glad we're still..." he trailed off, obviously unsure how to describe how we were.

"Yeah." I nodded, saving him the trouble of finishing the sentence. I glanced around the room, "Hey, you took the only place to sit."

The grin was back.

"You could always sit in my lap." he offered.

"I'll pass." I drawled back at him.

"It's comfy. Or so I'm told."

"You're such an ass." I said affectionately.

"And a damn fine one, too." he nodded.

I circled his chair and leaned against the back of it, resting my arms across the top. Alec leaned his head back to see me.

"No fair. I can't keep an eye on you back there." he frowned.

"Too bad. That's what you get for taking the chair. Turn on the TV."

Alec complied, digging a remote from out of the side of the cushion. I reached down and mussed up his hair as he turned on the TV.

"Hey! Don't touch the..." he complained, then stopped abruptly as he saw what was on the TV.

A dark-haired reporter in a red business suit was giving a report. In the right corner of the screen played a video of a transgenic fighting some police.

"It has been common knowledge in the city of Seattle that transgenics are hiding out in Terminal City." the reporter said, "However, little has been done about the situation except for police patrols of the perimeter of the area. Growing unrest in the streets about the transgenic problem as well as the recent hostage situation at the Soto Motel in which transgenics managed to secure a police vehicle and smuggle out the hostages has forced government officials to change this policy of inactivity. Volunteer members of the police, military, FBI, and other agencies have stepped up to form CAT, the Coalition Against Transgenics. This new division has begun an extensive training program to prepare its members and hopes to be in action shortly."

The corner picture grew to encompass the whole screen as footage of the training played. They showed a man in camouflage running a course in which boards popped up. The trainee shot at anything that could be positively identified as a transgenic. A shiver ran down my spine.

The tape then cut to an interview with the man who had run the course.

"I just want to make this world safe for my kids again." he said.

The TV went blank suddenly and I looked down to see Alec had shut it off, a look of disgust on his face. He threw the remote across the room and it shattered against the wall. Clearly not satisfied, he sprang from his seat and stalked over to punch a hole in the same wall.

"Alec." I ventured, trying to think of the best way to stop him from destroying the rest of his apartment.

"What about our kids, huh? What's to keep our kids safe from them? You know what? Those assholes want to come in here after us? Let 'em try. They'll get more than they fucking bargained for."

I'd never seen him so angry. It was scary.

"Calm down, Alec. We need to keep cool and figure out the best way to deal with this." I reminded him, biting my tongue to keep from telling him not to let his emotions cloud his judgment. I would not repeat that phrase from Manticore, "We need to go talk to Max."

Alec took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're right. Come on." he hurried past, grabbing my hand and pulling me after him.

We ran through the rain to HQ. I could tell that we weren't the only ones to have seen the broadcast by the chaos that was unfolding in the streets as we passed. I saw a female X-4 clutching a child in her arms, trying to shield it from the rain while she spoke worriedly to another X-4, and felt anger rise in me. Alec was right. We would protect our own and whoever tried to storm our base would pay dearly for the stupidity of their actions.

We soon reached our destination, Alec shoving the doors opened so hard that they slammed against the wall. The loud bang that accompanied this alerted everyone inside of our arrival.

"Alec!" Max called.

"Did you see the fucking news?" Alec demanded.

"Of course." Max said quickly.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

Max glanced around. Everyone in HQ had gathered around her.

"We're going to do what we were trained to do. We're going to kick some ass." she replied, giving everyone a nervous grin, "So Mole, I'm going to need you to see what kind of weapons we have. We need to fortify this place. Zoe, I need you to see how much food we have. I don't want them to be able to starve us while we wait."

Max continued to dole out orders quickly until everyone in HQ had a mission except Alec and I. Max smiled sadly at Alec.

"Looks like we might have to go on that raid of yours after all." she said.

"It'll be alright, Maxie." Alec assured her, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing gently.

"I don't know, Alec. You know that White's going to have his men all over that CAT patrol or whatever they are." Max said, fidgeting slightly.

I took mental note of the fact that despite what Max might have told Kira about Alec and all his faults, she herself trusted him enough to let down her guard around him, show weakness. A C.O. wouldn't do that with just anyone.

"Max. Everything will be fine. This is what we were made for. Besides, we've got a better looking C.O." 

Max slugged him in the arm, but without any real force. She smiled at Alec and straightened her posture, freeing herself from his embrace.

"I want you to have a team ready to make a raid for whatever supplies we're going to need. X-series, only. Try to be subtle about it, too. We don't need people to panic any more than they already are." she gave Alec his orders finally.

"I know, Max." Alec nodded, "We'll be ready before nightfall so that we can go tonight if we have to. I'll meet you back here at 1700."

"Okay." Max nodded.

Alec turned to leave and I followed him.

"Alec!" Max's voice stopped him.

"What's up, Maxie?" he asked.

"Thanks." she said quietly, a small grateful smile on her lips.

Alec smiled back at her.

"Anytime, Maxie. I got your back." he replied.

She nodded mutely and Alec turned to go again. I followed him back into the rain, touched by what I'd seen Alec just do. Kira had him all wrong. That was absolutely for certain. Max didn't even seem to like him very much, but he was there for her, at her side when she needed him. And despite to what Max had told Kira about him being unreliable, she was relying quite heavily now, when things were tough.

"Where do you think we'll be able to get all the supplies we need?" I asked as we walked back down the street.

Alec glanced at me. His hair was soaked, water streaming down his face. I was sure I looked much the same.

"You're not going." he said bluntly.

I stopped walking.

"Yes, I am." 

"No, you're not."

"Why not?" I demanded, folding my arms across my chest.

"You're not fast enough."

I actually gasped. How dare he use that against me! How dare he use the injury he had caused me as a reason to leave me behind!

I slapped him. The sound of skin hitting skin was loud, especially since the skin was wet. Alec winced, but didn't move, taking the blow. I glowered at him.

"I can't believe you..." I began.

"It's true. You'd be a liability, Jess. I'm sorry, but I've got to think of the mission." he said, staring fixedly at a point just to the left of me.

A huge lump formed suddenly in my throat that prevented me from making any reply so I simply remained silent, shaking with fury. Alec glanced over and I caught his eyes with mine. He sighed heavily.

"Look. I'm sorry, Jess. But you just can't come." he took a step towards me and I was surprised when he raised his hand to my cheek, "I don't want to lose you."

I stopped shaking abruptly, frozen by the feel of his hand on my cheek. I looked up at him, taking in his face. His bruises were already fading, healing rapidly. But his eyes looked pained. I realized that he had taken such a cheap shot at me because he wanted badly for me to stay. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Alright. I'll stay." I agreed, eyes still shut.

I felt Alec's lips press softly against mine.

"Thank you." he whispered.

I sighed again and slowly opened my eyes, but Alec was already gone.


	12. Subtle

****

Subtle

I had never been good at being left behind. Much as I knew how my shortcomings might jeopardize a mission and that they were safer without me, I still couldn't stand the agonizing waiting and wondering.

**_I listened intently for a moment and when I was satisfied that no tac leaders were anywhere nearby, I loosened my resolve and fidgeted._**

"What's the matter?" 202 asked.

I glanced at the other X-5. She was lying straight on her bed, propped up slightly by one elbow. Her blue eyes watched me curiously.

"I want to know what's happening." I told her.

"We'll know when they get back."

"I know." I said, but kept myself from elaborating.

I couldn't tell her that I didn't want to wait, because we had been trained to be patient. I couldn't tell her that I was worried, because we weren't supposed to feel. I didn't want her to report me to a tac leader or to 857, like she would be obligated to do.

I forced myself to stop fidgeting, reminding myself that my worrying about the unit wouldn't help it any. 

Worrying about Alec wouldn't help him any. But I worried anyway.

Finally, I couldn't stand staying inside the confines of my quarters any longer. It was nearing 1700, I knew. I could at least see him off.

Hurrying through Terminal City, I could feel the tension. Even a stranger would know that something was about to happen on this rainy, Seattle night.

When I entered HQ, Alec was already there, talking to Max. An unusually large number of X-series were also in the building, obviously Alec's team.

"Your girl's here." I heard Max inform Alec.

He looked up and saw me.

He muttered something back at Max that sounded vaguely like "She's not my girl," before heading towards me.

"Look, Jess. I told you..." he began.

I shook my head.

"No, I just wanted to see you before you left."

"Oh."

I shifted my weight to the other foot.

"So, are you ready?"

"I'd say born that way, but you know." Alec joked.

A sudden thought filled my head. I couldn't stand to live without his jokes, his grin, his presence. I sprang to him and hugged him tightly.

"Please, be careful." I whispered.

"I will." he promised.

Satisfied at least slightly by his promise, I tore myself away from him. He didn't need sentimentality to mess with his head right now. He needed to be focused on his mission. Especially since I didn't want him to pick up on my plan.

I noticed Max smirking in Alec's direction and so did he.

"Shut up, Max." he warned before she could say anything.

"Who me?" Max asked innocently.

Alec rolled his eyes.

"Troops, fall in!" he ordered, deeming to ignore Max.

Most of the X-series in the room hurried to form a line in front of us, standing at attention.

"Nine?" Max questioned, looking down the line.

"I figured too many people would be too conspicuous." Alec explained.

"Alright. Here's the list of supplies we need. And here's the place you can get them. Bit did some computer work and he says this is the best place to stop. They generally do business as the Black Market General Store. No one will be surprised if they get ripped off. But that also means security who have guns and know how to use them. I know you're feeling all bad ass, but try not to do something stupid." Max said gazing evenly at Alec as she handed him some papers.

"Me? Never." Alec replied immediately. He sobered and turned to his troops, "You guys got that?"

"Yes, sir!" they replied automatically.

"Good. Let's move out."

Obediently, Alec's men headed for the door.

"Expect us back by 2300." Alec told Max as he looked at the papers she had given him.

She nodded.

"And Max," Alec said, looking up at her, "If we're late...don't come after us."

Max looked upset, but nodded again stiffly. I could tell she didn't want to lose Alec any more than I did.

"That goes for you, too." Alec said, turning to me.

I made no reply. Finally, Alec turned and left. I waited for a few moments before turning to head towards the door, as well.

"Well, I'm going after him." I announced.

Max appeared in front of me.

"This mission's invite only." she informed me.

"I don't do staying behind."

"I promised Alec I wouldn't let you go."

"I don't care."

"Don't make me kick your ass."

"You're going to have to because I'm not staying here without a fight."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Max said, raising her hands into fight position.

"Max!"

We both turned towards Dix who was gesturing frantically at a police scanner. I concentrated my hearing on the cackling noises coming from the piece of equipment.

"...backup. Repeat, we have two transgenic ID-ed and request backup. They're X-series, sir. Caught them on the body heat scanner."

"Shit." Max swore, "Can't I ever catch a break?"

"White's men will have heard that, too, Max." the super-hacker transgenic known as Bit reminded her.

"I know." Max nodded, "And he won't be fashionably late either."

She looked at me.

"I need your help."

I glanced at the door, then back at her, feeling torn. I could either go after Alec or help Max save some transgenics I didn't know. I sighed, knowing I had to do the right thing. It was what Alec would have done, I knew it.

"What's the location?" I asked.

Max smiled at me for a split second before her game-face returned and she turned back to Bit.

"Sector Two. 25th and Dekko." he said quickly.

"Max, I'm coming, too!"

I felt like kicking myself for not noticing Kira sooner. She'd been sitting with Mole in the far corner of the building, cleaning weapons. She ran over, tossing me a handgun as she reached us. I checked the clip quickly, then stuffed the weapon into my waistband. Kira offered one to Max who shook her head and motioned for us to follow her. Kira shrugged and we both followed.

Moments later, the three of us were speeding towards Sector Two. Max had hooked us up with two motorcycles that were apparently the property of Terminal City in general. We spoke little, knowing what to do without having to be told.

It was clear that we had reached the scene of the incident even before we could spot any cops. There was a huge mob forming in the intersection, blocking our view of the activity. And the mob was angry.

Max gestured for us to try and get a closer look. We ditched the motorcycles, leaving them on the side of the street and squeezed our way into the crowd. After a lot of pushing and shoving, we finally could see what was going on.

A short female X-series with long blonde hair was fighting back-to-back with a much taller dark-haired male. They had already dispatched the police officers who had made the call for backup. They were now currently dealing with the bravest members of the mob. We had a limited time window to help them before more police and White arrived. Probably only seconds. I looked to Max for orders, but saw that she was staring at the two transgenics, a look of recognition on her face.

"We've got to get them out of here." she breathed so that only someone with enhanced hearing could detect her words, "Fast."

"What do we do?" Kira asked at the same volume.

Max retreated back through the crowd, a look of grim determination on her face. Kira and I hurried after.

"Max?" I questioned as she returned to the bikes.

Max turned the bike on and revved the engine.

"We're going to be subtle." Max deadpanned.

I nodded quickly and mounted my own bike. With Max in the lead, we all sped towards the rear of the crowd. Max popped a wheelie and revved her engine again to get attention. Screams alerted those in our path of our pending arrival and everyone scattered. Max swerved, swinging the back of her bike into the blonde transgenic's opponent. Kira kicked the other transgenic's adversary away, pulling up in front of him. I circled them all at high speed, forcing the rest of the mob to keep a distance.

The squeal of tires drew my attention. I looked and saw White getting out of a car. He pulled a gun out of his suit jacket. I knew he had to be aiming at me.

I heard the gun fire and ducked low to my bike, pressing for more speed, but the bullet struck me in the leg. I cried out and struggled not to lose control of my bike.

I was concentrating so hard on controlling my bike and my pain that I almost didn't notice Max and Kira zoom past me, heading through the other side of the ring of screaming people. I gritted my teeth and turned to follow them. A second shot rang out and I felt it whiz past me. I was barely able to hear someone shouting at White not to shoot, he might hit a civilian before we were out of earshot.


	13. Copycat

****

Copycat

I tried very hard, but couldn't make it all the way back to Terminal City. It hurt too much. My control of the bike slipped a little and the wet streets did the rest. The next thing I knew I was skidding across the pavement, desperately trying to keep from rolling onto my injured leg. I clutched at the injury, feeling that my pant leg was sticky with blood. I vaguely realized that I had lost my gun, but I couldn't move.

I shut my eyes tightly for a second, willing myself to get a handle on the pain. It wasn't safe to stay here. I had to get it together and get back to Terminal City. I opened my eyes again and found myself looking up into a pair of big brown ones. I was struck suddenly that whoever this guy was, he looked a lot like Max.

"Can you move?" he asked.

I nodded silently, struggling to get up and gasping when I put weight on my leg. The man with Max's face quickly grabbed my arm and supported my weight. I looked up and saw Kira's bike a few feet away. Kira was looking at me worriedly.

"I can follow you on your bike. You just hang on." he instructed, helping me over to the bike and onto the seat behind my best friend.

I wrapped my arms around Kira and held tight. I tried not to think about how the side I had skidded on felt like it was on fire or the shooting pain running up my leg. I tried to focus all my thoughts on keeping the muscles in my arms taught. It didn't even register that we were back at Terminal City until Kira pried my arms loose and got off the bike. I struggled to follow, but my leg caved and I landed with a splash on the ground. The impact sent pain washing over me and everything went black.

Time. I didn't know what time it was. My eyes flew open.

I struggled to get up, unsure of where I was. Strong hands pushed me down.

"It's okay. You're safe." a familiar voice said.

"Kira? Where am I? What time is it?" I asked quickly.

"You're in the infirmary. It's almost 1930. You've been out for awhile. You took a pretty bad fall off that bike." she reported.

1930. Alec still had time. I relaxed. And then, I felt the pain. I groaned.

"Shit." I remarked.

My left arm and side still burned, but they were now wrapped in bandages. I propped myself up on my right elbow so I could look at my leg. The pant leg was ripped exposing the place where I had been shot. It was wrapped in gauze, as well, but a large red stain was clearly visible.

"We cauterized the wound while you were out." Kira informed me.

At least I had been unconscious for that.

"Do you need anything?" Kira asked, getting up, "I told Max I would go get her when you came to."

"Dry clothes would be nice." I mumbled.

"I'll get you some." she promised, heading out.

I looked around the rest of the infirmary while she was gone. There weren't many here. Transgenics healed fast so only immediate care for serious wounds was really needed. A pregnant woman occupied a bed across the room from me and another woman was giving some pills to a violently shaking man in another bed near the door. Other than that, the room was empty of people. It was more occupied by medical supplies, although truly these weren't in large amounts either, and the beds. There were six beds, three on each side. They were also the first real beds I had seen in Terminal City with a bed frame to encompass the mattress. I probably would have felt rather comfortable if I hadn't been injured.

The woman who had given pills to the seizing transgenic came over to me.

"I don't think we've met." she said, holding out her hand, "I'm Lena. X-3."

I tried not to show my surprise. I hadn't thought there were any X-3's left. After the failure of the X-2's, the X-3's had merely been an attempt to get back on the right track. They'd been a success, but hadn't been very useful and not many were created. I'd assumed that they'd been destroyed and used for research.

"I know. X-3, Oh my God." she said sarcastically.

I winced, "Sorry."

"I'm used to it," she shrugged and began to unwrap the gauze bandage on my leg, "You X-5's never saw much of us. Or at least, you never knew you did. Manticore decided that the X-3 unit would be most suited to field medic duties. We were the ones that took care of you kids when you shot yourselves up or got attacked by dogs. You just never knew we weren't Ordinaries like the other doctors."

I focused on Lena's face, staring at her intently. I had seen her before.

"You were there when I was getting stitched up after 494 shoved me on that rock." I realized.

Lena paused to look at me, then returned to her work.

"I was. You're X5-613, if I remember right. And I should. That's about the one thing we're good at is remembering things." she informed me.

This was all a bit of a shock. But it made sense. Manticore would want to make the most of the X-3 situation. By making them field medics, they could send in an X-3 in a dangerous combat scenario and not have to worry about the consequences that would have accompanied an ordinary doctor if they were hurt or killed. There would be no family to inform if an X-3 died.

"The pavement did a number on your arm and side. A jacket might've helped. Anyway, it's going to sting like a bitch for a couple days. I can try giving you some painkillers, but they haven't helped other X-5's much. The best thing for you to do is to keep fresh bandages on everything and give the leg a little time to heal before you start jumping ten-foot fences, okay?" Lena instructed as she continued to change the bandage on my leg.

I gritted my teeth as she pressed a clean piece of gauze onto my wound and rewrapped it.

"I hate that White." I growled as she finished.

"I got news for you, we all do." Lena said, straightening. She gestured at the pregnant woman, "He's the reason I had to sedate her. She's scared to give birth to her baby when that asshole's about to lead men in her after us."

Lena turned her back to me, but I could still see the tension in her muscles.

"I hope Max kills him." she said angrily.

I didn't say anything and Lena didn't continue. She stalked off across the room to check on her other patients in silence. I wasn't sure if she was what I expected an X-3 to be like or not. She seemed more...normal...than most X-series. Probably because she'd spent more time with normal people in Manticore than most of us.

I put Lena out of my mind as Max, Kira, and the two transgenics we had rescued walked in.

"Are you okay?" Max asked, eyes moving from one bandage to another.

"I'm fine. Just a little banged up." I said, offering her a shaky smile.

"I need to thank you, Jess. Without you and Kira, me and my sibs would have been dead or in a cage by now getting interrogated by my good pal Ames White." Max said.

"Sibs?" I asked, confused.

"Jess, meet Krit and Syl. They were part of my unit at Manticore, my brothers and sisters.

"Yeah, me and Syl owe you guys one. We've spent about a year trying to find the others. You know, since Zack... Well, we've been having a really tough time, especially after our cover was blown, and then we heard about transgenics gathering in Terminal City. Seattle's always been Maxie's turf, but we thought she was dead. We didn't think you'd be here, running things." he smiled at Max, "Anyway, we thought we might get lucky and find someone or someone who had seen someone. We just didn't think the city would be so...mean."

"Not exactly red carpet treatment." the blonde, Syl, agreed.

"Seattle's kind of turned into Transgenic Central and the natives aren't friendly." Max nodded, "But my girl, Jess, had our backs."

"I brought your clothes." Kira interjected.

I reached for them, then grimaced as I realized what a tough time I'd have getting them on.

"Could someone help me to a bathroom or something?" I asked, hating that I needed help.

Kira immediately stepped forward. I'd known she would.

"Hey." Max said, making me freeze in the process of getting up, "Once you're changed, back to bed. Alec would kill me if I not only let you get shot, but I didn't make sure you got better."

"But..." I began to protest.

"Don't make me court-martial you." Max threatened, her mouth quirking with a grin.

"Fine." I sighed, "But let me know when the raiding party gets back."

"You had a party without us?" Syl pouted.

"You didn't RSVP." Max retorted.

I ignored the antics of Max and her unit members, concentrating on getting up. Kira took most of my weight by putting my arm around her shoulders, but I was feeling stronger already. I could put a little weight on my leg without an explosion of pain. Kira steered me towards the back of the building where I saw a door. Kira opened it for me and I entered the small bathroom. I leaned against the wall and nodded to her. She closed the door.

Carefully, I struggled out of my weight clothes, sitting down on the toilet seat when standing became too difficult. Finally, I was dressed in clean, dry clothes. I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was dark from the water and all tangled from lying on it. The left side of my face was dirty from resting it on the roadway after my fall. I turned on the water and scooped some in one hand, splashing it on my face. I then ran a hand through my hair and turned to head back to my bed.

Kira came to my assistance as soon as I opened the door. Krit, Syl, and Max were still standing near my bed, now talking with Lena. They all looked at me as I approached.

"She'll be fine. Just give her some time." Lena assured them.

"I am fine." I corrected as I got back into bed.

I was feeling rather tired. X-5's tended to sleep more when they needed to recuperate. My eyes felt heavy.

"Come get me when the raiding party gets back." I said before letting my eyes close and going back to sleep.

Someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes.

"Kira? What's wrong?" I asked, immediately attuned to her mood.

She looked upset. She glanced to my right. I looked in that direction and saw that the bed next to me was now occupied.

"Alec!"

Alec slowly turned his head to look at me. He tried to smile, but it looked very pained.

"Hey, baby. What's up?" he asked, his voice more of a groan than anything.

"Alec, what happened?" I demanded, trying to sit up.

"Well, I did something stupid." he said, wincing as he tried to move into a more comfortable position.

"Kira?" I turned quickly to my friend for an explanation.

"You're not the only one who got shot tonight." she said, frowning.

I turned back to Alec.

"Are you okay?"

"Fantast...ow!" he said and collapsed back onto his bed.

"Where was he shot?" I asked Kira.

"The stomach. He was lucky, it missed his organs. But it did bust a rib."

I look at Alec again worriedly, but he was unconscious. 

"He'll be alright, Jess." Kira assured me.

That didn't make me any less concerned.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked.

"You can stay here. Max's orders, remember? I'm covering your duties today."

"You don't expect me to just lay around here all day, do you?"

"Well, that's what you're going to do."

"Like hell." I replied, getting out of bed.

"Look, Alec's going to want you here when he wakes up." Kira said quickly.

I glared at her. That was a cheap shot.

"Then, I'll do something here. I'm sure the raiding party brought back medical supplies. I'll help Lena put them away." I announced, just then noticing that Lena was not present. 

I gave Kira a look that said not to argue. She sighed and nodded.

"Alright. Whatever. I have to go help, so be careful. Don't try to lift a car or anything while I'm gone."

I rolled my eyes at my friend and she smiled slightly before heading for the door.

Now that Kira was gone I turned my attention to Alec. His face was creased with pain even in sleep. I moved carefully over to his bed and looked down at him. I brushed wet hair off his forehead before taking a closer look at his bandages. His shirt had been removed so that they could deal with the wound without any interference and his abdomen was firmly wrapped. His wound was still bleeding, a red stain on the white of the bandage. Aside from that he looked okay.

I limped across the room to retrieve a chair. It felt like quite a feat to me and I was filled with a sense of satisfaction when I sat down next to Alec's bed. If I was recovering this quickly, Alec should be better soon, as well.

"How could you get yourself shot?" I asked him quietly, "You're 494, for God's sake. What did you get drunk before you hit the place? Idiot."

Alec remained asleep. I leaned my elbows on his bed.

"At least I was shot by the head of some super-cult. You were shot by a run-of-the-mill bad guy. That's got to be depressing." I smirked at him, "Yeah, I know you'll get me back for that, but it was worth it. I mean, here you go again with the showing me up thing. I get shot so you have to get shot worse. Always stealing my thunder. Copycat."

I folded my arms and rested my chin on top of them, taking care not to put too much weight on the bandaged left one. I resolved myself to sit and watch silently until he became conscious. Or until Lena came back. Whichever came first.


	14. Play

****

Play

It turned out that Lena returned before Alec woke up. I straightened in my chair as she walked in. She carried a large crate and appeared to be straining slightly under the weight. She set the box down soon after she entered and stretched her back. She looked over and saw me next to Alec.

"I see you're finally awake." she said, emphasis on the finally.

I wasn't sure if she was disdainful or just teasing. I shrugged in reply.

"Needed time to recuperate, I guess."

She didn't continue the conversation, simply turning, opening the lid on the crate, and beginning to put away the contents. I got to my feet and limped towards her.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked.

"You asked for it." Lena said, and began piling things into my arms.

The pile grew almost as high as my head before Lena motioned for me to follow her. I struggled to keep my limp to a minimum so that I wouldn't jostle the pile. Finally, Lena began to remove the supplies in my arms and place them into cabinets and drawers.

"Round two." Lena quipped, heading back to the crate.

I followed. It would take eight rounds to empty the crate. By five my leg was starting to hurt, but I pressed on until the job was done. As soon as the crate was empty, I returned to my chair and collapsed in it. I was frustrated by the wound more than anything at this point. I just wanted it to hurry up and heal. At least this leg wound wouldn't take as much time to heal as the one Alec had dealt me.

"Here." Lena threw me a roll of gauze and some cotton, "You can change it this time."

I pulled my leg up and rested it on the edge of Alec's bed. Pulling up my pant leg, I saw that I did in fact need a fresh bandage. I pulled off the old dressing and inspected the wound. It was a rather small wound for all the pain it caused. I probably shouldn't have been feeling it so much. But I'd done a number on my right leg once before. It probably couldn't handle the injury as well as it should.

I began to press a fresh piece of cotton over the wound, but Lena stopped me.

"Wait. You should put some of this on, too." she said, coming over and handing me a small spray bottle, "It'll keep it from getting infected."

I nodded and sprayed my leg with the liquid. I inhaled sharply at the pain the antibiotic caused, but that pain quickly faded. Within moments, my bandage was on. I put my leg back down and noticed that Alec's eyes were open and he was watching me.

"Pretty bullet wound. Bet mine's better." he commented, smiling.

"You will be wishing we could trade when you try and get up." I predicted.

"Get up? Do I look like a masochist? I'm going to stay right here for as long as I can and enjoy myself." he crossed his arms behind his head, wincing slightly as he contracted his stomach muscles to lift his head, "It'll be fun. Especially if Max feels guilty."

"You know, she's right. You are a jackass." I commented.

"What can I say? So, how'd you get that beauty anyway? I was half-expecting you to try and follow me."

I blinked in surprise.

"That is actually what I was planning to do. But I got sidetracked. Max needed my help to save two X-5's who got caught in the middle of a mob in a tangle with the cops. White showed up before we could split and tried to take me out. He's a better shot than I thought." I explained.

Alec frowned, his eyes sparking with hatred at the mention of White.

"One more reason for me to kill him." he said darkly.

"Hate to interrupt your assassination plans, but I've got to have a look at your own little scratch." Lena said dryly, returning to Alec's bedside.

She took the spray bottle, cotton, and wrapping from me and placed it next to Alec where she could easily reach it. She then began to undue Alec's bandage.

"This is going to hurt." she warned before jostling him to get the bandage out from under him.

Alec made no sound throughout the process of changing his bandages, but his face got rather pale and his hands were clenched in fists so tight that his knuckles were white.

"All done." Lena announced finally.

"You're lucky I like it rough, doc." Alec joked, his voice a little scratchy.

She gave him a patronizing smile and went to check on the pregnant woman who was now awake and relatively calm.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Me? Always. It takes more than a bullet and a busted rib to take me down." he boasted cockily.

I smiled, figuring if he felt good enough to be cocky, he was fine.

"So." he said, pulling a cell phone out of his jeans, "Want to see if we get room service?"

I watched, amused, as Alec quickly dialed a number.

"Maxie? Yeah, I'm okay, I guess. It hurts really bad to move. I almost fainted when doc changed my bandage. And poor Jess can barely walk. Don't worry about it, Max. It's not your fault we're bullet ridden. No. Actually, we're kind of hungry. Starving, in fact. Do you think you could bring us something? Your the best, Maxie. See you when you get here." Alec hung up the phone with a huge grin on his face.

"You're horrible. Despicable."

"A genius?"

I smiled at him.

"Well, I am starving."

"Just remember to look pitiful when she gets here."

"I'll try." I promised.

"So, do I look as bad as I think I do?" Alec asked, attempting to comb his hair with his fingers.

"Not too bad. A drowned rat comes to mind." I teased.

Alec made a face.

"Hey, you're not one to talk. When's the last time you saw a brush, huh?" Alec retorted.

"At least my clothes are clean."

"I'm only half-dressed anyway. I don't need to change."

"You smell."

"So do you."

"I'm glad you're okay."

"You have no idea."

"Would I hurt you if I gave you a hug?"

"It'd be worth it."

He smiled and I hugged him as gently as I could. I tried not to notice that he wasn't wearing a shirt, but the thought wouldn't be pushed aside. I pulled away, feeling slightly disgusted with myself. Here he was, hurt and in pain, and I was checking him out. I should be thinking only of his welfare right now.

"Let's not get shot again." Alec suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." I replied, but I was no longer focused on the conversation.

"Hello? Earth to Jess. You even here?" Alec asked, immediately noticing my distance.

"Sorry. Just a little distracted."

Alec looked at me curiously for a moment, then changed the subject.

"So, what about those two X-5's you brought in? Anyone I'd know?"

"Actually, they're from Max's old unit. Apparently, two of the escapees. Their names are Krit and Syl." I said.

"I've heard about them. They helped blow the genetics lab. Max must be thrilled."

"Yeah, I think she is. I know I'd be excited if some of my unit showed up."

I thought sadly about the X-5's I had spent most of my life with.

"I was pretty excited when I ran into Biggs." Alec nodded.

His face scrunched up in pain for a moment and I was fairly certain that it had nothing to do with his bullet wound. I remembered that he had mentioned something about a friend of his being killed not too long ago by a gang. He covered his lapse quickly by raising an eyebrow and looking curious.

"So, is Syl hot?"

I shook my head and laughed a little.

"I wouldn't know." I replied, then quickly decided to add, "But Krit's not too bad."

Alec pouted at me and looked about to say something when Max entered, trailed by the two transgenics we had just been talking about.

"Hey, she is pretty hot." Alec muttered before putting on a pained look and groaning softly.

I glared at him quickly before looking down, trying to look pathetic.

"Chow time!" Max announced, holding up a pizza, "We brought plenty. Figured Lena and Spaz might be hungry, too."

She set down the pizza on an empty bed and came closer, a concerned look appearing on her face once again.

"How are you doing?" she asked Alec.

"Hurts." Alec said in a small voice, like he was in a lot of pain, but was trying to be brave, "But I'll be fine. It's enough to know the rest of my team's okay."

I saw Krit and Syl exchange glances behind Max's back and knew that Alec hadn't fooled them any. Lucky for him, they both seemed rather amused and didn't look like they were about to clue in Max. Apparently, Alec noticed, too, because when Max turned to get out a piece of pizza he winked at them. I caught Syl stifle a snicker.

"Here. Have some pizza. That ought to help cope with the injustice of it all." Max held out a piece to Alec, looking concerned.

Alec reached weakly for the pizza, but before he could take it Max sprang forward and smeared it in his face.

"You dumbass. Did you really think you could play me?" she had her hands on her hips and was trying to look angry, but was failing due to the smile on her face.

Alec pealed the pizza off his face and I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him. His face was covered with pizza sauce and there was a pepperoni stuck to his cheek. He glared at Max.

"Picking on the wounded, Maxie. That's low." he accused.

Max rolled her eyes at him, turning and taking some pizza to the pregnant woman, apparently Spaz, and Lena. Syl and Krit took out some pieces, as well. Krit brought a piece to me.

"Jess, right?" he asked as he handed it to me.

I nodded, taking a large bite of the pizza. I really was starving. I hadn't eaten since the day before when I'd been trying to keep my mind off of worrying about what could happen to Alec.

"What?" I asked around my food, noticing the way Krit was looking at me.

He had a slightly amused look on his face and his head was cocked to one side as he looked at me.

"Hungry?" he ventured.

"Starving." I confirmed.

"You're X-5?"

"613."

"How's it been since Manticore burned down?"

"Actually, I escaped."

"Really?" Krit sounded surprised.

He took a quick bite of his pizza and sat down on my bed, looking at me with interest.

"She took off on a mission with her partner." Alec interjected, "She's been out about a year."

He sounded a little upset. I glanced at him, wondering what was wrong, but he was busy wiping his face off on a towel Syl handed him.

"Why'd you split?" Krit asked.

"Lots of reasons. Just couldn't take it anymore." I said simply.

It was too complicated to get into right now. But surprisingly, Krit seemed to understand anyway. I took another bite of my pizza and chewed thoughtfully. I found myself distracted by Syl talking to Alec.

"It's funny. I mean, you look like him, of course, but you're nothing like him. Maxie told us you were his twin, you know, to prepare us and I thought you'd be more...Ben-like." she said.

"Nah, I'm one hundred percent, genuine Alec." Alec replied.

"So, how'd..." Krit began, drawing my attention back to him.

"I've got to go, guys." Max interrupted both conversations, "I've got so much to do right now. We have to be ready for when White comes. Krit, Syl, are you guys coming?"

"I'm still kind of hungry. I think I'll hang here for a little bit." Krit said without taking his eyes from me.

I looked away, feeling like I was being scrutinized. 

"Yeah, me, too." Syl agreed, taking a bite of pizza for emphasis, "We'll catch you later, Maxie."

Max nodded and left, glancing at her "siblings" before she disappeared outside. My eyes then fell upon Syl sitting on the edge of Alec's bed and leaning forward to wipe a piece of sauce of his face that he had missed. A strange feeling welled up inside me. I felt angry at Syl. I didn't even know her, but I didn't like her. 

"Anyway, how did you end up here in sunny Seattle?" Krit asked.

"Just moving around. I never heard about Manticore. Kira and I stayed on the road too much to hear much news. I thought we still had a government agency tracking us. It was a coincidence that we ended up here and ran into Alec." I said, choosing to ignore Syl and Alec.

"Wow. It's hard to believe you didn't hear about that." Krit said.

I shrugged. I couldn't believe we hadn't heard about it either.

"How long have you been here?"

"Not long. This is only my fourth day."

"Four days and you've already been shot? This is worse than LA." he joked.

I glanced over at Alec and saw him looking at me. He quickly turned back to Syl, raising an eyebrow at her. She smiled easily in return and flipped her hair over her shoulder. I couldn't stand this anymore.

"Would you help me outside? I need some air." I said quickly to Krit.

"Sure." he jumped to his feet and offered me his hand. 

I took it, glancing once more at Alec. He was flashing his grin at Syl. I clenched my free hand in a fist and limped towards the door a little faster, forgetting my hunger. I couldn't help but feel betrayed.

I turned to Krit, resolving myself that two could play Alec's game.


	15. Talking

****

Talking

It was no longer raining, but clouds still lingered in the sky outside and the air was crisp with the smell that comes just after rain. It was a very nice day, in terms of weather anyway.

"Nice day." Krit said, voicing my thoughts.

"Yeah." I agreed, inhaling deeply.

"So, what's with you and Alec?"

I glanced at Krit, then away before replying.

"Nothing I want to get into. We just keep running into each other and having some intense clashes." I shook my head, "He's an ass."

Krit laughed. I glared at him. I could be made at Alec, but he could not laugh at him. He seemed to sense my anger because he raised his hands in surrender.

"No, no. It's just...that's how Max described him, too."

My anger disappeared and I smiled in amusement.

"And what about you and Syl?" I asked in return.

"Syl? She's my best friend and has been since before I can remember. We were always partners back at Manticore. We got split up after we escaped, Zack thought it would be best. But I had to find her. It took two years, but I tracked her down. Turned out, she'd been looking for me, too, which is probably the only reason I found her. Zack tried to split us up after that, but we made a promise to stick together. She's got my back, I've got hers. Even if she is a dumb blonde." he grinned, then looked quickly over his shoulder like he was afraid that Syl might have appeared just in time to hear his comment.

I laughed at him.

"What?" he asked defensively, "You'd be surprised how many times she's done that."

He smiled at me again and I noticed that while he may bear a striking resemblance to Max, the features worked just as well on him as they did on her.

"They never told us what happened to make you all escape. There had to have been a reason. All they told us was that you were rats, traitors." I said.

"They just pushed us too hard." Krit replied, his face getting a look that told me he was drifting back into his memories, "And when they found that some of us were having seizures, it got worse. They took Jack away and killed him, cutting up his body. Maxie saw it. And then, Maxie got the shakes. We all loved Maxie, but no one more than Zack and Eva. They attacked the tac leaders when they tried to take her away and Eva took one of their guns. That's when Zack decided it was time to blow that joint. Eva took the lead with the gun..., but we ran into Lydecker. He shot her right in front of us. We had to get out of there."

I absorbed his story in silence, letting him come out of his memories in his own time. Not knowing what else to say, I offered a pathetic apology.

"I'm sorry."

The words felt insubstantial and stupid. It wasn't like my feeling sorry for him would change anything. It wasn't even like what had happened to his unit had been out of the ordinary at Manticore. People disappearing at Manticore was the norm.

"Don't say that." Krit said, looking very upset, "At least we got out. We got away before Manticore could dish out anymore. The rest of you guys got the worst of it. The rest of you who were there for nineteen years. No, we were the lucky ones."

My respect for Krit instantly increased.

"What made you leave?"

For some reason the question made me defensive. 

"Just didn't fit in, you know? Couldn't take all the crap anymore. So, I thought I'd split and take my best friend with me." I shrugged, like it didn't matter.

Krit gave me a look that said he wasn't buying it, but thankfully he didn't push it.

"I'm new around here. Where's the happening place to be?" he asked, rolling his eyes at himself as he said 'happening.'

I smiled, more at the fact that he was letting me get away with my insouciant facade than at his words.

"Well, there is a bar with some pool tables and a TV that doesn't play news." I offered.

"Perfect." Krit agreed.

I led him towards the bar, surprised when he took my hand in his and tangled his fingers with mine. And for some reason, I didn't take it away from him. It occurred to me that Alec had never really held my hand. Thinking back, I couldn't remember anyone ever holding my hand except for once or twice on missions or in training and that didn't really count.

We entered the bar and I noticed that it was rather quiet. There were a handful of transgenics inside getting wasted, probably trying to make themselves forget the hell that was coming when CAT tried to invade. But there was no celebrating, no cheerfulness, no fun. The whole place felt depressed and, unlike I'd promised, the solitary television was in fact playing the news.

"Did someone run over everybody's dog?" Krit asked in a whisper.

I shook my head.

"No one's too excited about White and some gung ho military team trying to bring the fight to us." I explained.

"Right. That CAT thing. Syl and I saw that yesterday before we got busted. Who names those things anyway?"

I looked at him curiously, wondering why he wasn't acting at all worried.

"Why aren't I worried?" he asked, correctly interpreting my look, "I am. But, come on. Sulking around while we wait is going to change anything. So let's play some pool and worry about those idiots with guns when they get here."

"And what about being prepared?" I asked.

He shrugged.

"Syl and I, we're more spur of the moment type of people. Zack's the one who does the planning." 

Krit's voice faltered after he said 'Zack' and the rest of his sentence trailed into silence. He looked at the floor and shuffled his feet.

"You know, he was captured when we blew the genetics lab and we thought...we thought he was dead. Zack would never let them take him alive. But Maxie told us that he's not dead, that she saw him. They used some kind of cyborg technology stuff to fix him. Only problem is he had amnesia and when he remembered who he was, their brainwashing kicked in and he turned into assassin boy. So Max had to wipe his memory and give him a new life where he doesn't know he's a transgenic. I was blown away by the story, but the weirdest part is that I still feel like I've lost him. He may be alive, but I've still lost my big brother, my C.O.."

I was shocked into silence. I hadn't known that Manticore was experimenting with robotic technology. Of course, with Manticore anything was possible.

"But he's free." I pointed out, "He doesn't have to hide anymore. He doesn't have to run. He can live a normal life. Isn't that what we all want anyway?"

Krit smiled a little, but his eyes still looked sad.

"I guess."

I grabbed the two pool cues and threw one to Krit. I leaned on the other one so that I could take some weight off of my leg for awhile.

"Remember, sulking one change anything. Let's play." I said.

Krit almost visibly stuffed his pain down inside and smiled.

"Okay, but I get to break." he said.

I shrugged and gestured at the pool table, telling him to go right ahead. Krit leaned across the table and expertly broke, sinking three balls right away. I raised an eyebrow. He was good.

"I've had a lot of practice at this game." Krit explained, "It's Syl's favorite. She makes hustling almost an art when it comes to pool. I've gotten used to losing. This will be a nice change of pace. Side pocket."

"Don't be so sure." I replied, watching as he sunk another ball easily.

Krit grinned, but didn't take his eyes off the table.

"Far right corner." Krit said.

I looked carefully at his shot.

"Don't you mean side pocket?" I asked.

The shot was obvious, but Krit shook his head. I shrugged and watched. The ball bounced off the corner of the side pocket and rebounded into the far right corner.

"Nice." I commented.

"Thanks. This pocket," he tapped the pocket in front of him before rebounding a ball off the opposite end of the table so that it came back and sank into the pocket perfectly, "I hope you didn't want to play."

I smirked in reply, stepping back to that Krit could line up his next shot. As he was shooting, I used my pool cue to hit him in the back of the knee, causing him to sink on one side. Looking over his shoulder, I say his ball bounce off the side, missing the pocket. He glared at me and I tried to look innocent.

"My turn?"

I moved to the other side of the table from him, limping only slightly, and quickly lined up my shot.

"Corner." I said and sunk it.

"You play like Syl." Krit complained.

"Good, then you're used to it. Left corner." I said simply, sinking a second ball.

Krit rolled his eyes and leaned against the table, watching me play. I sunk three more shots before he spoke again.

"We're almost tied." he commented, "I was hoping you'd get distracted and miss by now."

"Sorry to disappoint." I said, narrowing my eyes as I prepared to tie the game, "Right corner pocket."

"Alec! I can't believe you're up!" Krit yelled suddenly.

I knew he was lying, but I had to look. Of course, Alec wasn't there. I turned back to my shot, but as I did Krit bumped into me. My arm slipped and tapped the white ball. It rolled about an inch and stopped.

"Oops." Krit said sweetly.

"You suck." I grumbled.

Krit just smiled as he finished the game. His smile turned apologetic as he looked up at me after sinking the eight ball.

"Buy you a drink?" he offered.

"Peace offering?" I asked.

"Sure."

"Alright then. I'll have whatever you have."

Krit nodded and went to the bar. I mused that Krit was easy to get along with. Kira would like him.

Krit returned and pressed a glass into my hand. I downed the contents quickly, recognizing it as tequila. It was the same drink I had ordered when I'd run into Alec four days before. Guilt arose in me as I thought of Alec. Sure, he'd been a jerk the way he'd been flirting with Syl when I'd been distracted by Krit's stream of questions. But he was still injured and I still cared about him. I should check on him.

"I should check on Alec." I voiced to Krit.

Krit shrugged and returned our glasses to the bar. He returned to my side and took my arm, helping me back towards the infirmary. I was glad of his assistance, since my leg was really starting to hurt again, but more than that I was glad that he hadn't made me ask for his help. I tried to silently voice my thanks at him. He nodded back, so I assumed he understood.

"It's been nice talking to you, Krit." I said as we got nearer to the infirmary.

"You, too, Jess. Hope we can hang out some more when you're leg's better." he said, stopping just outside the door to the infirmary.

"Sure. Why not?" I shrugged.

Suddenly, to my utmost astonishment, Krit kissed me. It only lasted a second, but I was thoroughly shocked for much longer than that.


	16. Jealous

****

Jealous

Krit was staring at me.

"W...w...why? Why did you do that?" I finally managed to spit out.

"It was a goodnight kiss. Only in the middle of the day. It's generally accepted as a good way to end a date. Of course, a goodbye kiss the morning after..."

I interrupted him.

"But we...that wasn't a date. We were just talking. I..." I was so confused.

Krit rubbed his forearm anxiously and the tension began to build rapidly. I wanted to run away from the situation, but my leg hurt just at the thought. The worst part of all of it, though, was that I knew I had enjoyed the brief kiss.

"I should go." I finally blurted out, gesturing weakly at the infirmary door.

"Yeah." Krit agreed, "I should collect Syl."

We both headed towards the door at the same time. I stopped, anticipating a collision, but Krit stopped as well. I felt very awkward. Krit gestured for me to go first and I tried to hurry through.

I froze just inside the door, barely registering the fact that Krit bumped into me. The sight in front of me consumed all my attention.

Syl and Alec's faces were a hair's breadth apart and they were staring each other in the eye. They both noticed my entrance, I saw their eyes dart towards me. But then they looked back at each other. And Alec kissed her. Not a quick kiss like Krit had given me, but a long, deep kiss. I felt sick.

My leg chose that moment to give out on me after all the abuse it had taken recently. Alec tore himself away from Syl to look at me in concern, but Krit caught me before I could fall. He helped me back over to my bed. I tried not to look at Alec, who had returned his attention to Syl, but I couldn't help myself. It was like some masochist tendency in me would not allow me to look away.

Alec gave Syl a lopsided smile, his eyes sparkling.

"See you later?" he asked.

"Definitely." Syl said, wetting her upper lip with her tongue as she straightened.

"Good." Alec said, his gaze dropping to her mouth to watch the movement.

"Later."

"Later." Alec replied, watching as Syl walked towards the door.

"Coming Krit?" she asked.

"Just a sec." Krit replied. He looked down at me with a worried expression, "Are you okay?"

"Fine." I assured him. 

I glanced at Alec again who was in the process of winking at Syl and felt an intense desire for revenge. My hand reached out, as if of its own accord, and grabbed the back of Krit's head, pulling him in to a kiss. I saw his eyes widen momentarily, then felt him smile and respond. After a long moment, I released him, falling back onto my bed.

"Bye, Krit." I said, smiling at him.

"Uh...bye? I mean, bye, Jess." Krit said, seeming slightly mystified.

He remained frozen for a second before snapping out of it and hurrying to join an impatient Syl. The two left a moment later. The silence that followed weighed heavily down on me.

"So, Krit, huh?" Alec asked quietly.

"Syl?" I shot back.

"She's cute." Alec shrugged, "Very...spunky."

I tried to keep myself from growling angrily.

"What was with kissing Krit all of a sudden, huh?" Alec continued unexpectedly.

His voice was sharper than usual.

"He's cute." I mimicked Alec, "And he's sweet. Understanding."

"Wuss." he tried to make it sound like a cough, "So what were you doing all that time?"

I glared at him, resenting the tone of voice he was using. He had no right to interrogate me.

"None of your business." I snapped.

"Whatever." Alec replied coolly.

My temper was flaring. I tried to calm it, but wasn't having much luck.

"Why are you being such a prick?" I demanded, sitting up.

"Me? I'm not being a prick." Alec replied, unperturbed, "I'm just asking how your date was?"

"We were just talking."

"Sure." he said sarcastically.

"Leave me alone! You're the one who started flirting with Syl!"

Alec struggled to sit up and winced in pain. He managed to move his head a little higher up on his pillow so he was closer to on the level with me.

"I started? You're the one who was all 'Actually, I escaped. Isn't that cool? We have something in common. Wanna make out in front of Alec?'" Alec's eyes flashed anger.

"What the hell? I was just answering his questions! What did you want me to do, ignore him?" I demanded.

"No! But you could have...I don't know, been a little less nice about it!"

I crossed my arms across my chest and laid back down on my bed, facing away from Alec.

"I don't even know why I'm having this conversation with you." 

"Maybe because you feel just a little bit guilty about dissing me so royally."

"How the hell does me having anything to do with Krit concern you?" I asked angrily, turning back towards him so that I could glare at him.

"Forget it." he growled, laying his head back on the pillow and staring straight up at the ceiling.

"Fine!"

Silence fell upon the room once again. Neither of us spoke a word for a long time. Eventually, Lena came back and spoke to Spaz, telling her she could leave if she wanted, but to check back in if she felt at all different. She changed Alec's bandages again and took another look at my leg, commenting that it was healing well. I simply grunted in response. As long as it healed soon so I could get the hell away from Alec, I didn't care. But all that had been about an hour ago. Now the building was empty and for some reason the silence was thicker.

It was funny, the pain that had welled up inside me at the sight of Alec kissing Syl was almost more painful than the bullet wound on my leg. The image kept playing through my mind, over and over again. Especially the part where he had looked at me and then kissed her. He'd wanted me to see it. But why?

I thought back over what Alec had said what was now a couple hours previously. His accusations about how I'd been flirting with Krit, his proclamation that I had dissed him, the fact that he even thought the matter concerned him. Could Alec have been...jealous? The conclusion was hard for me to swallow, but I knew that jealousy had been the feeling that had claimed me when I'd seen him with Syl. And I also knew that part of the reason why it was such a troubling solution to come to was because it was Alec. I was quite a bit less than objective when it came to Alec. That was obvious. I sighed to think that all the hurt and anger could have been caused simply by a misunderstanding.

"Jesus, would you stop thinking about him!" Alec snapped, suddenly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I couldn't keep myself from snapping back at him.

"Sigh. Krit's so dreamy." he said in an annoying high-pitch voice.

"For your information, I wasn't thinking about Krit and I haven't for at least the past 46 minutes."

"Right." Alec said disbelievingly, "Then, why did you sigh?"

"I was thinking about you, you moron!" I yelled at him, "And about how stupid this fight is."

"Sure, stupid. I mean, it's not like you practically knifed me in the chest." Alec stopped suddenly, mouth still open, when he realized what he had said.

"Knifed you in the chest?" I repeated, my suspicions all but confirmed, "Are you saying that I made you...jealous?"

"Whatever." Alec did his best to recover by blowing off my question.

"Alec." I said firmly, forcing him to look at me.

"What?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry."

It was all I could think to say. I couldn't tell him what I was feeling. It was too hard. But maybe, maybe if I let him know that I was sorry I'd hurt him we could resolve this fight and things would go back to the way they were.

"You're...what?"

I glared at him, annoyed.

"You heard me, God damn it."

His mouth twitched, hinting at a smile that he managed to control.

"Well, then. I guess I'm sorry, too." he said.

I continued to glare at him.

"You guess?" the image of Alec and Syl flashed through my mind.

"Hey, don't push it, babe." he said, but smiled, showing me that he was just kidding.

I started to feel like the situation was mending.

"I didn't mean it, Jess." Alec said in a barely audible whisper.

I wasn't really sure what he meant. He must have seen my confusion because he continued.

"Kissing Syl. I didn't mean it. I mean, she's hot and all," I glared at him a third time and he smiled at me, "but I did it...I did it to get back at you."

"Alec, I..." I couldn't bring myself to continue.

"What?" Alec asked.

I swung my feet out of bed and stood up, taking the few steps it took to get to Alec's bed. Pulling the chair closer, I sat in it and leaned closer to him.

"Nothing." I shook my head, "Just kiss me."

Alec looked surprised at my boldness, and truthfully, I was, too. It was just that I had a feeling and unlike 613, I, Jess, decided to follow it.

Alec lifted his head and I leaned further down so that he wouldn't have to move and hurt himself, but he surprised me by pushing himself up slightly onto his pillows. He was getting better.

His kiss seemed cautious at first, but gradually built into the kind of kiss we had shared on top of the old building what seemed like ages ago. I closed my eyes, wondering why my chest hurt on the inside and why I felt so...complete. How had Alec gotten this power over me? That thought scared me thoroughly for a moment before I reminded myself that Alec was used to power and that he wouldn't abuse it anymore. Not with me. I hoped.

Slowly, I pulled back, opening my eyes to look at Alec to try and find his reaction in his face.

"That was fun. Let's do it again sometime." he joked+

, eyes bright and smile in place.

I half-laughed and returned to my bed, leaning my back against the pillows in the same position Alec was in. Lena would be back soon to check up on us. Maybe then I could finish eating. I was still starving. But that was okay, because Alec didn't really like Syl.

I slid down my pillows to lie flat on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. This time, however, when I thought about Alec, the thoughts weren't angry.


	17. Girls

****

Girls

That night, Alec was feeling well enough to get up and move around. I was impressed at how fast he recovered. Or at how well he hid the pain. Whichever it was, I followed him closely, trying to make sure he didn't overdo it. My own wound was feeling much better, although definitely not one hundred percent. But what pain there was was of a manageable sort. So, I helped Alec pull on a shirt and followed him closely to HQ, looking for Kira and Max.

"Oh, Maxie!" Alec called as he walked in.

Max was standing at the head of a table lined with transgenics including Kira and Krit. Papers were scattered across the tabletop, almost obscuring the wood surface entirely. She looked up at Alec, her face a war between annoyance and relief.

"Having a meeting without me? I'm hurt." Alec pouted, walking over.

"Exactly. Which is why you weren't invited." Max snapped, turning back to the others, "So...I want a new security detail procedure. We need more people at every section of TC. If we give them an opening, they'll..."

"Max," Alec interrupted, "We know. Some of us were even trained in it."

"Alec." Max growled through clenched teeth, her eyes glaring hatred down at the papers in front of her.

"Yes, Max?" he asked brightly.

"Shut. Up."

Alec rolled his eyes. I could see he was enjoying being able to torture Max without the risk of her trying to hurt him. She would never hit him in his current condition.

"Sorry, guys." Alec said apologetically to the rest of the group, then continued in a loud conspiratorial whisper, "Max is just a little cranky because she hasn't gotten any in forever."

Max whipped around towards Alec, her face a mask of rage. Her hands were clenched in fists and it was obvious that she was struggling to maintain her control.

"Alec, this way. Now." she ordered in a low growl, jerking her head in a direction away from the group.

Without waiting for a reply, Max stomped across the room. Alec shrugged carelessly and followed. All eyes in the building watched the pair curiously.

"What's up, Max?" Alec's casual question rang out through the now silent building.

"Alec, I'm glad you're feeling better, but if you don't knock it off, I am going to kill you!" Max replied, her voice raising steadily into a yell.

"Knock what off, Maxie?" Alec asked innocently.

"Knock what off?" Max asked incredulously, "Gee, I don't know. Maybe you could knock off the completely disrespectful comments about me in front of everyone. Or maybe you could try not interrupting me. Or maybe you could even stop being such a jerk period! And don't even give me that look. I know about you and Syl. How could you be such an asshole? We all know that you like Jess, so why the hell are you trying to screw everything up by being such a horny bastard? Can't you do anything right? Do you like pissing people off, hurting people? And by the way, if I ever hear you breath another word about my sex life, I'm going to fucking castrate you!"

Max's scream echoed off the walls and slowly died. Alec's face was expressionless as he stood, facing her angry accusations. I was still stuck on the part about everyone knowing that he liked me.

After a full minute of silence, broken only by Max's deep breaths as she reigned in her temper, Alec spoke.

"Okay."

It seemed that everyone in the room had been expecting anything but that one quiet word. It would have been much more likely that Alec would yell back at Max, or lash out with some smart ass comment, or blow her off with a 'whatever' and a roll of his eyes. It was definitely not like Alec to simply give in. Even Max did a double take, blinking slowly and looking momentarily confused.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Okay, Max." Alec repeated.

Max faltered, apparently not sure of what to do now that she'd won the argument.

"O...okay, then. Right. Good. Well, I've got to get back to the meeting. If you're feeling well enough, you and Jess can join us." she said, shifting her weight back and forth.

"No, thanks. I think I'd better take it easy, you know?" Alec said, without any of his usual sarcasm.

"Uh...good idea." Max replied, then beat a hasty retreat back to her meeting.

I looked over at Kira and quickly signed that I'd find her later and that I was doing okay before heading over to Alec who was already turning to head outside.

I walked silently next to Alec for a little while, but then became worried by his silence. This wasn't like him.

"Alec, are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he said quietly in the same slow, humorless voice he had used earlier with Max, "I'm always fine."

"Alec." I persisted.

"Really, Jess. I'm okay." Alec insisted.

I stopped and Alec stopped, too, looking at me for an explanation. I picked at my clothes, partly because of the humidity and partly because I felt uncomfortable.

"Tell me what's wrong." I urged.

"I told you already, nothing's wrong."

"I don't believe you."

"Obviously." he said with a hint of his normal attitude, "But it doesn't matter because even if there was something wrong, I don't want to talk about it."

I could think of no reply to that.

"Can we go now?" Alec asked.

I continued to say nothing, but starting walking. Alec fell in beside me. I was quiet until I made to turn for the infirmary and Alec didn't.

"Aren't you going back to the infirmary?" I asked.

"I've had enough of that place. I'm going back to my apartment." Alec replied.

"Mind if I come with you?" I asked, hoping that maybe he'd change his mind and open up to me.

"Suit yourself." Alec answered.

We fell silent again and I reflected. Max's words were still foremost in my mind. Everyone knew that Alec liked me. Everyone, but me. Was it true? Or was it just something Max had said to tick off Alec? And if it was true... I thought guiltily of how I had enjoyed being kissed by Krit. It had been nice to be openly wanted without any weird history or dark secrets about my true nature to worry about. Plus, Krit was nice, attractive, everything I could want. Except that he wasn't Alec.

I almost outwardly blushed at that thought, but managed to keep the emotion from showing thanks to years of training in that area.

We were now at Alec's apartment building. I followed him inside, noticing with narrowed eyes that his hand was inside his shirt, pressed against his wound. He was hurting, after all. I cursed myself for not noticing sooner and sprang to his side to help him up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" he demanded as I put an arm around his waist and grasped his bicep in my other hand.

"Helping you. You're hurt, remember?"

"I'm fine." Alec said, attempting to jerk his arm out of my hand.

But as soon as he tried, he gasped in pain and fell back against the wall, both hands moving to the site of his injury.

"Or not." he said, trying to grin, but managing more of a grimace.

"Come on." I said, stepping back into my former position and helping him slowly up the stairs, "You should probably lie down."

It seemed to take forever to reach his apartment door, but I forced myself to be patient. I didn't want Alec to land himself back in the infirmary. We would need him well for when CAT made their move.

Alec's door was unlocked so I opened it and swung it open wide so that we could enter without me having to leave his side. I kicked the door closed behind us and began to head for the bedroom when my senses alerted me to the fact that someone else was in the room. I could hear breathing and the room felt off. I looked around and my eyes fell upon Alec's recliner. The back was to us, but I knew there was someone in it.

"Who's there?" I demanded.

The recliner spun around, revealing a short, blonde girl. She smiled brightly at us.

"Syl?" Alec said, clearly confused.

"Hi!" she replied, "Thought I'd drop by. Figured you'd be sick of the infirmary and when I dropped by there you weren't there. So, I figured I could catch you here. Oh, and the door was open, so I thought I'd make myself at home."

Her face transformed into a pouty expression.

"You woke me from my nap." she complained.

"Sorry." Alec said, his eyes gaining some of their usual sparkle, "Should I knock next time?"

I couldn't help but feel angry at him all over again. I let go of him abruptly and turned to leave.

"Wait, Jess!" Alec called after me, "I thought you were going to stay awhile."

"You have company." I said emotionlessly.

"Stay." Alec insisted.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I want you to stay." 

"Kira's waiting for me."

"Why are you...?" Alec began in frustration.

I cut him off.

"You know why."

"You know what, fine. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you." 

Alec turned to a curious Syl who'd been watching the conversation with interest, her eyes going from Alec to me as if she'd been watching a tennis match.

"Look, Syl. You're great. Just the kind of chick I'd normally go for. But I think it would be best if you left." he said.

Syl frowned and looked from Alec to me again. Her eyes suddenly widened and she got a knowing look on her face.

"I get it. Sorry. My mistake. I'm usually more perceptive. It's cool. See you guys around?" she asked, not phased in the least.

Alec smiled, obviously glad she'd taken it so well.

"Yeah." he nodded.

Syl headed past us towards the door.

"Oh, and Jess." she said, and I turned towards her, "Don't worry. I'll break it to Krit."

She was gone before I could think to ask "Break what to Krit?"

"Believe me now?" Alec demanded.

I nodded, "I'll stay."

"Good." Alec said, then winced, "Cause I think I might need some help into bed. Wow, I've never said that before."

I rolled my eyes at him and helped him into his bedroom, lowering him gently onto the mattress. Alec, I noticed, also had a real bed like in the infirmary. I tested the mattress with my hand after Alec was in place and noted that the bed seemed very comfortable. It would be good for Alec to rest in it for awhile.

Alec was still clutching his wound. I pulled up the hem of his shirt and pried his hands away so I could look at the bandage. It was stained quite red and I shook my head, knowing I shouldn't have let him overdo it.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" I asked.

"Yeah. In the bathroom. But you don't need it because I'm fine." Alec said hastily.

"Nice try. I know it hurts, but you've got to keep fresh bandages on it." I scolded him.

"But mom..." he teased.

I punched him lightly in the arm.

"Never call me that."

He grinned at me and I went to retrieve the first aid kit. I, like all X-5's had had a basic training in field med. Changing a bandage was a simple task. The difficulty was to keep the patient distracted to minimize the pain. I returned to Alec's side, determined to keep him in conversation while I did the job.

"I appreciate what you did." I told him as I sat on the edge of his bed and began to undo the old bandage.

"Good. Cause, you know, I don't have a whole lot of friends. Joshua, I guess. Maybe Max on her good days. I don't want you to think that I'm going to dump you the second I see a pretty chick."

Friend. I frowned.

"So, I'm your friend, huh?"

"Sure." Alec grunted as I pushed him onto his side, "Why not?"

I changed the subject.

"So how long do you think we have before CAT shows up?"

"Who knows? They probably wouldn't have shown that broadcast if they weren't almost ready to go. They wouldn't want to give us too much time. Are you worried?"

I lowered Alec back down and slipped the bandage out from under his other side, quickly pulling it back across his torso to repeat the process.

"Yeah." I admitted, "I'd be crazy if I wasn't. It's just that Kira..."

"Has had years of training and knows how to take care of herself." Alec finished for me.

"You don't understand." I shook my head, "I was the one who brought her out here, out of Manticore. It would be my fault if something happened to her."

"Faulty logic." Alec said immediately, "How could it possibly be your fault when one, you have no control over what happens out here and two, even if you hadn't taken her out of Manticore, she'd be on the outside by now anyway since Manticore was destroyed."

"I know." I agreed, but I still felt the same.

"Besides," Alec continued, "I'm going to take care of you guys."

"Oh, really?" I asked, a smile sneaking onto my face.

His protectiveness was amusing.

"Yeah. I mean, back when I took that mission to bring you guys back to Manticore, I accepted that you two were my responsibility. You still are." he sucked in his breath quickly when I peeled the last layer of bandage from the wound. It was sticky with half-dried blood, "Ouch."

"Sorry." I said offhandedly, more interested with inspecting his wound.

The area was turning a deep shade of purple from the damaged rib. It also appeared that the wound had closed over, but Alec had reopened it. I remembered the look on his face as he leaned against the wall on the stairs.

"You need to be more careful." I admonished him, cleaning up the blood.

"Obviously." Alec snorted.

I wetted some cotton with alcohol. Alec saw the bottle and his eyes widened.

"Ah, shit." he swore.

"Sorry. It's for your own good." I said, then quickly pressed the wet cotton onto the wound.

Alec's face scrunched up in pain and he made some hissing noise, but that was all. I felt bad for causing him so much pain, but I knew that it would ultimately help the wound to stop bleeding and heal faster.

Next, came rewrapping his stomach. My eyes drifted over the tight muscles in that region as I prepared the bandages. He had perfect abs, of course, and it was extremely tempting to run my hands over them.

I yelled at myself and focused on the task at hand. Pushing Alec gently onto his side once again, I wrapped the new tightly around his body. The rib that had been hurt was the lowest one on his ribcage, luckily, so none of his other ribs had been effected. But I thought suddenly that if the wound had been higher I could have run my hands over his chest.

I suddenly realized I wasn't distracting him, but merely becoming distracted myself.

"So why do you pick on Max so much, anyway?" I asked quickly.

"Me? I'd never!" Alec said in mock outrage. He grinned slightly, "I don't know. It's just the relationship Max and I have. I annoy her, she kicks me. That's how it works."

"But why?"

"I don't know. Lots of reasons, I guess. But you know, I think that deep down she really...can't stand me."

I shook my head at him.

"Max needs you." I corrected him.

"Yeah, right."

"She does. I can tell. She depends on you. She cares about you. In fact, according to what they taught us in Situation Assessment in Regards to Tactical Evaluation, I would think you liked each other. You fight like little kids who have a crush, but can't admit it." I smirked at the thought of Max and Alec on a playground somewhere, fighting.

Alec colored at my comment and I looked at him shocked.

"You don't...like Max, do you?" I was afraid I let hurt creep into my voice.

"No!" Alec said almost too quickly.

I bit my lip and kept my eyes focused directly on the white bandage. My eyes started to blur and looked down to try and hide my face from Alec.

"Oh, please don't do that." Alec said, reaching out and lifting my chin. 

He gently wiped away beads of moisture from my cheeks. I couldn't believe I was crying. I frantically tried to force myself to stop, but the more I tried to stop, the more I couldn't.

"I'm sorry." I said, my voice sounding choked, "Alcohol's making my eyes water."

Alec smiled at me sadly and I knew he wasn't buying my lie.

"Don't cry." Alec persisted, "Look, I'll level with you, but you have to stop crying."

I sniffed, wiping frantically at my eyes. I took a few deep breaths and managed to get myself under control again by the time I'd finished with his bandage.

"Alright. About Max. Max and I have never been anything more than friends. She's got this whole thing with Logan that's too confusing to get into. But yeah, I cared about her. I still do. Max gave me freedom. And she kept me from throwing it away, too. I owe Max a lot. And I guess that I was sort of drawn to her. She's just so passionate, so not Manticore. She's beautiful, smart, wicked sense of humor. We're really a lot alike. And I think for awhile I might have been falling for her. Apparently, I enjoy pain." he quipped with a wry smile.

His words felt like an icy blade, piercing my flesh and twisting in my chest. Here I had just won out over Syl, just to lose to Max. I remembered Alec comforting her, an arm around her shoulders, telling her everything would be okay. I bit my lip and closed my eyes so Alec wouldn't see the tears welling up again.

"Then, something happened that turned my already fucked up life upside down. I ran into you. Since then, it's like everything's changed. Every time we've kissed, the time you said you liked me, even when we're fighting I'm still kind of happy just because you're here. It's weird. I just...I'm...well, scared because I think that I'm... I just don't want to lose you like I lost Rachel."

Now, Alec was the one who's eyes were welling up. A few tears escaped down the sides of his face before he buried the emotion.

"You won't lose me." I promised.

"I can't." 

He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I let myself be pulled down, resting my head on his chest and pulling my feet up onto the bed, carefully resting my injured leg on top of my good one. He wrapped his arms around me. I felt like if I spent the rest of my life in that position I could die happy.

"Stay here." Alec muttered into my hair.

"I will."

We fell quiet and I began to feel sleepy. Maybe it was because I felt so secure that I subconsciously began to let my guard down and welcome sleep. Maybe it was because my body was still recuperating. Maybe it was just because I'd had a rather emotionally straining day. Whatever the reason, I closed my eyes and started to drift, letting Alec's soft breathing lull me to sleep.

"You know, I have the weirdest luck with girls." Alec said, but his voice faded into obscurity as I faded into the dark of sleep.


	18. Breakfast

****

Breakfast

I was woken up some time later by an intense itching. My left arm and side itched unbearably and I realized that I had neglected the road burns in the face of my bullet wound and taking care of Alec.

Slowly, I titled my head up to see if Alec was awake. Hazel green eyes met my own blue ones. I smiled.

"Hi."

"Hey." he replied, returning my smile, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah."

Reluctantly, I left his arms and sat up. Rolling up the sleeve of my shirt, I took a look at the bandage on my arm. It took a lot of discipline to resist the urge to scratch. Instead, I began to unwrap the old bandage. The skin underneath was still sore and red, but was virtually healed. I noticed Alec watching me closely with narrowed eyes.

"I wasn't informed that you had other injuries." he said angrily.

"Nothing big. Just some road rash from when I lost control of my bike." I shrugged, pulling up the hem of my shirt to reveal the bandage there.

I peeled off the medical tape that held the bandage on and saw that the skin on my stomach was in the same state as my arm, a little raw, but much better.

"You need to be more careful." Alec scolded gently, pushing himself up into a sitting position, as well, and pulling me back into his arms.

"This coming from the guy who got shot in the stomach." I realized that I still had no idea how that had happened, "Now, how did you manage that?"

"Well," Alec said slowly, looking up at the ceiling, "we were trying to be subtle, you know. So eight of us went in, Char watching our backs. We were quiet as mice and everything would have been great except we ended up crashing a party. Turns out someone else had the same idea we did, thought they'd take advantage of a five finger discount. I didn't have a choice. If we laid low, they'd have taken off with all the supplies we needed. So, I signaled for an attack. Things got kind of crazy after that. I made the mistake of thinking I could distract and take out most of them so that the others would be free to move out the supplies. Turns out I'm not that talented. Lucky for me the others had been able to get most of the stuff out before I got shot."

I frowned, realizing how close I had come to losing him.

"But, it's all good, right?" Alec said lightly, "Hey, it's 0800. You want something to eat?"

"Desperately." I agreed, my hunger overwhelming me at the mention of food.

I got up, testing my leg and finding to my satisfaction that it held my weight almost as well as normal. I turned and helped Alec up.

"Let's see what I've got in here." he said, heading out of the bedroom, across the living room, to the kitchen.

The kitchen was almost as barren as the living room, housing a refrigerator and a stove. There was no table, only a counter. The hinges on half of the cabinets were broken, leaving the doors hanging at an angle. Alec rummaged through them all before emerging triumphant from the refrigerator with a carton of eggs and a package of sausage.

"I'll make you an omelet." he said, finding a frying pan and turning to the stove.

I used my arms to push myself up onto the counter and sat there, watching him. He was still in need of a shower, his hair stuck out everywhere. But in spite of all of this, he was still extremely cute. Especially when he dropped eggshells in the omelet and tried to fish them out in a nonchalant way, obviously hoping I wouldn't notice. I smiled as I watched him, but decided that I should probably take this opportunity to take a shower myself.

"I'm going to take a shower, okay?" I said, slowly lowering myself from the counter.

"Okay." Alec said over his shoulder, "Breakfast will be ready by the time you're done."

I nodded and headed to the bathroom. There was no hot water, but that was okay. The cold water felt good on my sore skin. I borrowed some of Alec's shampoo and washed my hair. The shampoo stung my bullet wound, but it wasn't too bad. It felt good to be clean again.

I pulled my clothes back on and put on another fresh bandage on my leg. The smell of breakfast came to me and I hurried out of the room, toweling my hair.

"Smells good." I told him, my stomach growling loudly.

"Not hungry are you?" Alec teased, handing me a plate and a fork.

I set down the towel on the counter so that I could snatch the food from him and quickly began to wolf it down. I moved into the living room, still eating and plopped down in Alec's recliner.

"Thief." Alec accused, standing over me with his own plate heaped with food.

"You'll live."

"I make you breakfast, let you use my shower, and you steal my chair."

"Pretty much." I agreed.

"You're lucky I like you." he said.

I paused in my eating to smile at him. That was the first time he'd actually said that to me.

Alec perched on the arm of the recliner and proceeded to eat his food just as fast as I had eaten mine.

A knock on the door interrupted our breakfast. 

"I'll get it." I said since I had already finished.

I got up, knowing Alec would take my seat the moment I was gone, and went to open the door.

"Kira?"

"I've been looking all over for you!" she exclaimed, "You said you would come find me, but you never did."

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep."

"You hardly ever sleep." Kira said suspiciously.

"I don't know what to tell you. I was tired." I shrugged.

Kira just glared at me in response.

"Hi, Kira." Alec called from the recliner.

Kira's glare was transferred to him.

"Want breakfast?" he offered, holding out a forkful of eggs to her.

Kira looked disgusted. She grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me into the hallway, slamming the door behind me.

"Did you do something stupid?" she demanded.

"What?" I asked.

"I thought you'd learned not to let yourself be hurt by him. And yet, it seems I hardly see you when you're not with him. Haven't you noticed how you hate him every other minute? That's not the sign of a healthy relationship."

"I don't hate him." I said quietly.

"I can't remember how many times you've told me you hate him."

"That was a long time ago."

"So?"

"It's different now. Everything is different. I know you don't trust him, Kira, but I do. I trust him with my life."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Just trust me, okay? You trusted me when I asked you to leave Manticore, trust me now. He won't hurt me. He cares about me."

Kira looked sad.

"I want to trust you, I do."

"Then, do."

"I'd like to, it's just..." Kira broke off and looked away with a guilty expression on her face, alerting me to the fact that she knew something that she didn't want to tell me.

"What?" I demanded.

Kira sighed.

"Do you remember when I got assigned a mission with 530?"

"Of course." I nodded.

It had been an unusually trying three weeks without my friend, 772, around.

"I never told you, but 530 had just gotten back from another mission with 511 and 494."

I didn't like where this was going. My eyes narrowed as I watched Kira glance uncertainly back at the door to Alec's apartment.

"She told me about the mission. About the things that 494 did. I know that was a long time ago, but what worries me is that he's using some of the same lines on you. And you're responding the same way his targets did. It's hard to shake our training. You know that. But it's even harder to shake when you were good at it."

For the first time in my life, I was angry at Kira.

"What is your problem?" I yelled at her, "Why are you so damned set against him? He never did anything to you! And besides that, it's none of your business, okay? I'm not stupid. I can make my own decisions. You know what? I can't even talk to you right now."

I promptly turned and reentered the apartment, slamming the door behind me. I knew that Kira had my best interests at heart, but why wouldn't she just leave it alone? She'd made her opinion known. I had noted it. Now it was time to move on and let me make my own decisions. I wasn't a child.

"Problems?" Alec's voice penetrated my thoughts.

I shook my head, knowing as I did so that he would know I was lying, but hoping that he would take the gesture as a hint that I didn't want to discuss it.

"I heard what she said." Alec said quietly, evidently not taking the hint.

"I know."

"She's right, you know."

I looked at him in surprise. My mind started to race with the implications of what he had just said.

"What I mean is that I have used some of the same lines on you, but there's a reason for that." he sighed in frustration, "Man, sharing sucks. I did it because I didn't want to...to admit to myself that you actually mattered to me. So, I reverted to some old standby's, trying to make this different than it is, trying to make it just physical. But you know I can't do that. You have to know I can't. I mean, I do think you're hot and all, but...well, I don't...I mean, you're...ah, hell."

"I don't understand. Are you saying that you didn't want to like me, you just wanted to sleep with me?" I rubbed the bridge of my nose, trying to dispel a growing headache.

"Yes and no. You...well, you remember what happened with Rachel." he fell quiet and suddenly everything made sense.

He didn't want to care about me because he was a afraid of going through the same hell that had occurred when he'd cared about Rachel. That mission had taught him an important lesson, caring meant hurting. The obvious solution: not to care. So, he'd tried to make himself believe that he didn't care about me as a person, but only as someone to sleep with. Just like I'd been afraid he might think of me as. But the thing was, he couldn't convince himself. Which meant it wasn't true. Which meant I was right and Kira was wrong; he did care about me.

"Alec." I said softly, dropping carefully to my knees in front of his chair and reaching forward to hug him.

He scooted forward in his chair and accepted the hug, but I had to push him away a few moments later because the position was too painful on my leg.

"I'm sorry." I apologized quickly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea, "My leg..."

"Oh! I'm sorry." he said immediately, standing and lifting me to my feet with him.

"It's alright." I said into his shoulder, still enfolded in a hug and not about to let go.

I rested my against the same shoulder, feeling the soft fabric of his shirt against my cheek. I felt Alec sigh again into my hair.

"You know, one thing I don't get. What the heck do you see in me? I know I'm hot and sexy and all, but really."

I smiled slightly.

"I don't know. Maybe I just think you're cute." I smirked.

"You want my body. I knew it."

"You're such an..."

"Ass? What's with your fixation on that portion of my anatomy?" Alec teased.

I pulled away from him slightly and smiled upon seeing the sparkle in his eyes.

"I was going to say idiot." I informed him.

"Sure." he replied skeptically.

"Maybe you're the one with the ass fixation."

"Well..." a devilish look appeared on his face.

I moved to smack him, but slowed my hand before it hit his face, simply resting it on his cheek. The devilish look faded into seriousness and he leaned forward and kissed me. For some reason, my legs felt weak as he deepened the kiss, but his arm around my waist supported me.

Finally, reluctantly, we separated. I dropped my head to his chest and he rested his chin on top of my hair.

"I'm afraid I'm getting too attached to you." I informed him.

"Just a bit." he agreed.

"What should I do about Kira?"

"I don't know, Jess. I don't want you to lose a friend because of me." he lost his seriousness and returned to his usual light attitude, "Maybe she just needs to get laid."

"I won't lose her because of you. She's just so...so set against you. I don't know why, but she refuses to see you as a good guy. Although she is right about me spending a lot of time with you. I kind of feel bad about abandoning her in a new place."

"You didn't abandon her." Alec cut in before I could continue, "She's doing fine. Don't worry about it. It'll work out."

I sure hoped so.

Suddenly, the sound of ringing filled my ears. Alec stepped back away from me and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"What's up, Max? What? Shit. I'll be there in a minute. Hold tight."

His face was scrunched with worry and anxiety as he hung up the phone.

"CAT's here."


	19. CAT

****

CAT

I nodded quickly and headed for the door. This wasn't good. We needed more time. Alec and I weren't even fully healed yet. But we had no time. CAT wasn't going to wait patiently outside our gates for a few days until we felt well enough for a fight.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked Alec, scrutinizing him closely as I held the door open for him.

"Always." Alec replied firmly. He caught my look and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, Jess. I'll try to keep the hand to hand at a minimum. Maxie may have an aversion to guns, but I don't."

I nodded again, silently praying that he would be alright.

We headed quickly towards HQ, noticing the abounding numbers of transgenics in strategic positions as we went. No one simply walked the streets. No one stood around and talked. The city was silent, ready.

I followed Alec into HQ. Max was hanging over Dix's shoulder, looking at a computer screen. As we got closer, I saw that it showed the area just outside the gates of TC. Arrayed in front of our gates was something other than the usual protestors and police. A military squadron was deployed outside our gates, assessing their position before they attempted to penetrate our perimeter.

"Do we have audio, Dix?" Max asked quickly.

Dix shook his head.

"We don't have that kind of equipment." he apologized.

Max simply nodded and narrowed her eyes as she stared at the picture. I assumed she was trying to read the lips of the commanding officer.

"...Team Bravo. Once they return from circling the perimeter fence, we can move out. Bravo team will probably have detected some weaknesses in their perimeter. If this is true, we will be dividing our forces and attacking from multiple fronts. Is that clear?" Max looked over at us with a sardonic grin, "We obviously didn't receive the same training."

"Max," Alec cautioned, "the fact that they're splitting isn't necessarily good. We still don't know where those points of penetration will be or how many of them there are."

"I know." Max said, "But they don't know how many of us there are either."

Alec nodded in understanding. Apparently, Max was hoping that CAT hadn't figured on there being a city teaming with transgenics and hadn't brought enough manpower to deal with all of us. The problem with that assumption, though, was that it was only an assumption and we had no way of proving it either true or false. Either way we would have to fight.

"What's the plan?" Alec asked.

"Gee, Alec. I thought some of us knew how to do this shit because we were trained in it." Max snapped derisively.

Alec was about to reply, but I stopped him by placing a hand on his arm. Max was on edge enough without Alec provoking her and besides, this was definitely not the time.

"What do you want us to do?" I asked.

Max almost instinctively responded to my request for orders, turning towards us with her chin up and her eyes determined.

"The Southeast side could use more people. I've got Katie stationed on the old two-story building with the black doors. Go help her." Max instructed, referring to an X-6 that I remembered as having been a part of the Alpha Team on the Hotel mission.

"Got it." I nodded, turning towards the door and tugging on Alec's sleeve to get him to follow.

"Max.

"Alec."

They spoke at the same time.

"Don't get your ass hurt again." Max warned in a threatening tone.

"Worry about your own ass." Alec snapped in reply.

The two exchanged a quick look before Max turned back to the computer screen and Alec turned towards the door.

"She'll be okay." I offered him reassurance as we headed towards the Southeast side.

I was becoming 613 again, falling back into the habits of my training. I could feel it. But I didn't fight it. I would need to be 613 for this.

"I know." Alec said stiffly, but it was obvious that he was worried about her still.

"Focus." I reminded him gently, knowing that his worry for Max would only be a hindrance to him in the coming battle.

He nodded and I saw that he, too, was reverting to his Manticore self. The steely, cold eyes of 494 replaced the sparkling orbs belonging to Alec. A slight shiver ran through me as I remembered the last time I'd seen those eyes.

**__**

His eyes were icy cold as he searched for any trace of our passing.

I dispelled the memory from my head, instead taking stock of my condition. My leg was holding up well, taking my weight easily at a walk. But at a run? Or in a fight? I wasn't too sure how much it would take of that. It would be best to do as Alec had said he would and attempt to take out our opponents from a distance. I hadn't been too bad of a shot, never having been punished for lacking in that area. Hopefully I would prove adequate today.

I spotted the building with the black doors long before we reached it. Likewise, we were spotted approaching, long before we reached the building. I could sense eyes on me despite the fact that Alec and I had stuck to the shadows provided by yet another overcast day and the alleys on our way over. We were close to the fence and we couldn't be too careful.

"Hey, Alec." a voice whispered from somewhere to my left.

Alec and I turned quickly as Katie materialized from out of the alley we were passing. She was dressed all in black and a black hat covered her blonde hair so that it wouldn't give her away. I thought briefly about my own light hair, but remembered that it was still dark and damp from my shower. I'd never even gotten the chance to brush it.

"Katie." Alec nodded, "Max sent us to help you."

Katie nodded, looking both of us over quickly, her eyes lingering on Alec's abdomen and my leg. Obviously, she knew about our injuries.

"Come on." she gestured and began to walk down the alley.

Alec and I followed. She led us into a building next door to the one with the black doors. We walked through the empty building, out a back door, over to one of the black doors in the neighboring building, and discretely slipped inside. Waiting inside were three other transgenics and a lot of weapons.

"You two take the roof." Katie said, throwing us both rifles.

I nodded. We were snipers. Understood.

Alec led the way up the stairs to the roof. I followed. I was irrationally struck by the fact that I was on a mission, partnered by 494. That was a privilege. Or it would have been if I was still in Manticore.

Alec stopped just before we reached the door that led to the roof. He turned to me and signed some instructions to me. Reminding me to cover the other transgenics, reminding me of my training, warning me not to stay too focused on one area. I nodded quickly, hardening my resolve. I would not fail.

Alec pushed the door open slowly and we stalked carefully across the roof, keeping low. Alec moved to the left and I moved to the right, both setting up on the side facing the fence. I lowered myself slowly to the ground, stretching out on my stomach, my elbows flat on the rooftop, rifle fitted to my shoulder. I trained the gun along the fence line, getting used to the weapon. I looked closely for any sign of movement along the perimeter.

**_"You are predators. You will hunt out your targets and eliminate."_**

Lydecker's voice was in my head.

**_"Movement is the give-away. It is impossible to attack without movement. The key is to detect that movement as it is about to happen. The tensing of muscles, an intake of breath, the clenching of a jaw. You must be able to detect these give-aways."_**

My eyes searched.

**_"You're rifle is an extension of you. There is no excuse for not hitting your target."_**

My hands were steady on the cold metal.

**_"The mission is everything. Nothing else matters."_**

There. Five hundred yards from my position, along the outside of the fence line. There was movement. My eyes narrowed as I focused on the source of the movement. It was a soldier in a black uniform. The movement had been his head turning to his right. I followed his line of sight. More soldiers were approaching ever so slowly and subtly. Trying to avoid detection. They had failed.

I smiled and took aim, waiting for the perfect moment.

**_"Timing is essential. Be patient. Don't rush. Be alert. Don't be late. You must strike at the right moment. If you do not, you will fail."_**

There were more of them than I had at first detected. More were coming in from the left. Counting quickly, I saw twenty-three of them. My smile turned into a frown. There were a lot of these guys.

**_The X-5 next to me on the firing range fired too early and missed his target. The target continued moving down the line and I waited patiently until it was in the right spot. I fired, hitting the mark perfectly. The target continued down the line._**

"Don't jump the gun, soldier! Did you listen to what the colonel said about waiting for the right moment? Or are the colonel's instructions not important enough for you to listen to?" a tac leader screamed at the X-5 next to me, X5-761.

"No, sir!" 761 answered.

"Have you learned a lesson today, soldier?" the tac leader demanded.

"Yes, sir!" 761 immediately responded.

I had, too. I waited, determined not to make the same mistake 761 had. I waited, watching as the fence line was cut apart and the team started through. I waited as they assessed their surroundings. I waited as they approached the building. I waited until the soldier at point was almost too close for me to get at. Then, I fired.

**_"When you are on a mission, you do not kill people. You eliminate targets."_**

The bullet hit my target in the forehead, eliminating it instantly.

Next to me, Alec fired. A second target went down. The others were alerted to our existence, but as of yet did not know our whereabouts. I fired again, taking out a third before he could reach the cover of the buildings.

Katie and the other three transgenics, appeared in the alleys and around the buildings, meeting the scattering team. I watched closely as a soldier fired at Katie. She dodged the bullet, speeding in towards her opponent. She elbowed him in the face and wrenched the weapon from his hands. Blood began to trickle down the soldier's face from his nose, but he showed no signs of feeling any pain. My eyes narrowed.

Katie socked him in the stomach with the MP-5 she had taken from him, then kicked him hard in the groin. Any normal man would have hit the ground. But this guy just stood still with a twisted smirk on his face. Katie stared at him, frozen in surprise for a moment. He punched her in the face, sending her reeling backwards. I trained my gun on him, prepared to take him out.

But I never got the chance to fire. Katie recovered quickly and fired herself. Four quick shots to the chest. However, the soldier continued to stumble forward towards Katie. My brain demanded to know what was going on. Even a transgenic would be down and out by now.

Fortunately, the soldier never made it all the way to Katie. He finally fell to the pavement and stopped moving. But he never showed any sign of being in pain.

I wanted to ask Alec what was going on, but I knew there was no time. I checked once more on Katie and the other transgenic with her before rising slightly to a crouch and moving over to the other side of the building to make sure no one came up behind us.

I took out two soldiers attempting to do just that. That left seventeen more.

A yell drew my attention. I looked up and saw a soldier on the roof of the building across the alley from my perch. He was alerting the others to our position. I quickly aimed and took him out, but it was too late. We had been made.

"Alec!" I yelled.

Alec fired two quick shots before jumping to his feet and running over towards me.

"We need to relocate." I said quickly.

He nodded, and signaled for me to follow him back down stairs.

Alec kicked the door open and immediately fired twice. I fired once over his shoulder. Two more bodies littered Terminal City. The count was now twelve.

Alec moved silently and stealthily down the stairs. I followed him closely.

The second story was clear. We proceeded on to the first. Here we encountered a transgenic with some lizard DNA fighting three soldiers. He was cornered. Alec and I both fired simultaneously, each hitting one of the transgenic's opponents. Alec's went down, but the one I had hit did not. Either I hadn't been very accurate, or this was another one of the soldiers like the one Katie had fought. I didn't waste time trying to decide, but unloaded another two bullets into the guy, the last of which entered his head. That took him down.

The transgenic I didn't know was able to take down the other soldier in the mean time with some well-placed attacks. Alec and I headed outside.

Outside, the streets were eerily quiet. Alec and I exchanged a look. I signaled that we should split up. Alec shook his head no, but I insisted. Reluctantly, he agreed and we headed in opposite directions.


	20. Darkness

****

Darkness

The sky was getting darker; it could rain soon. I noted the information and stored it in my brain, acknowledging that rain would mean impaired vision. My ears strained for the sounds of fighting, something that would tell me what had happened while Alec and I were inside the building and where the enemy was currently located. I could hear the strained yells escaping those who had been hit by attacks and the orders being bellowed by people on both sides, but nothing close by. This didn't make sense.

I passed the alley where we had met Katie, glancing down it quickly. Still nothing but shadows and trash. I moved on, keeping one eye on the outside fence the whole time. Had the rest of the CAT squadron retreated? And if so, where were Katie and the other two transgenics who had been with her? Had they been taken captive? Or worse, had they been eliminated and their bodies retrieved to take back to some government base where men in white lab coats could cut them open like they weren't even people? My jaw clenched momentarily with anger at that thought, but I quickly got a hold of myself. I didn't need to think about what might have happened. I needed to find out what did happen.

I caught sight of two CAT soldiers coming down the street towards me and quickly backed into the shadows behind a dumpster. I waited until they got closer before firing two shots, one at each. Neither of them went down. I frowned. This wasn't good.

Both soldiers looked in my direction and headed towards me. They showed no sign of feeling the bullet wounds that were bleeding freely. I fired again at the one on the left just before they reached the dumpster. The bullet hit him in the shoulder. He jerked slightly from the impact, but once again ignored the wound. Both soldiers took a hold of the dumpster and flung it aside like it barely weighed anything. I jumped towards them, swinging my rifle like a club at the blonde one closest to me, hoping to catch him off guard. The butt of the rifle struck him across the face, breaking with the force of the impact, but he simply smiled at me.

"Transgenic filth." he spat on the pavement by my feet.

There was blood in his saliva. I dropped my useless rifle to the ground.

The other soldier threw a punch at me that I narrowly avoided. Not only were these guys insanely pain tolerant and incredibly strong, but they were also fast! Who were they?

I sprang backwards, looking for a way out. The two soldiers moved towards me, splitting apart to try and corner me between them. I jumped over them, spun, and kicked at one them before they could turn around. I was a little faster than them. That was my advantage.

I felt pain surging up my leg, but I ignored it as I lashed out as fast as I could at the two soldiers. They blocked many of my attacks, but I did manage to land some. They didn't show any sign of feeling the blows, but I had to believe that it was hurting them.

I leaped and kicked at brown-haired soldier's head, but he caught my leg. I inhaled sharply as his fingers dug into my bullet wound. Then, I grunted with pain as he slammed my body down onto the pavement. Both soldiers fell on me and began to kick and punch me rapidly. I curled into a ball, trying to protect myself. Their attacks hurt like those of a transgenic. I tried to fight back, to push them away, but it was no use. The two of them had me.

I felt like I was going to die. I hurt so much. By the time they stopped, I was nearing unconsciousness. I think another soldier passed by who called for their help. Otherwise I think they would have kept beating me until they killed me. I couldn't move. Even breathing hurt.

I closed me eyes, feeling the darkness of unconsciousness approaching. Gratefully, I let it take me.

**_So this is what dying feels like._**

That's what I was thinking. It didn't really hurt a whole lot. I felt pretty numb actually. And cold, I was very cold.

I'd been shot. I'd never been shot before. But now I was shot, in the stomach, and I knew that I was dying.

I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was on a stretcher, being wheeled down a long, white hallway. I looked around me and saw that there was a woman in white pushing the stretcher and a young man in white walking alongside, reading a clipboard. On my other side was 772. She didn't look at me, but looked straight forward, back straight, chin up.

"How long ago was she shot?" the young man in white snapped at 772.

"One hour and forty-three minutes, sir." 772 replied immediately.

"What took you so long?" he demanded angrily.

"Sorry, sir. It took time to bring her back to base, sir." 772 explained.

"You will report to the colonel for a debriefing immediately. We'll take care of this one." the man ordered.

"Yes, sir." 772 said, saluting.

A second later she was gone from my side. I struggled to make sense of it all, to piece together a memory from what I had just heard 772 report. Then, suddenly it all came back to me.

We had been on a mission. We had been sent to assassinate someone in Billings, Montana. I couldn't remember if we had been successful, but I did remember that there had been more security that we had planned for. Something had gone sideways. I had been shot. I didn't remember the car ride back at all. All I remembered was being shot, lying on the ground bleeding, and then oblivion. It had been nice in the darkness. I had enjoyed the slow fading into nothing as my body went cold. I remember my mind thinking that I had nothing to worry about anymore before it had shut down.

But now I was awake and there were glaring lights shining in my face. Pain was surging through my body as people in white tore open my abdomen to retrieve the bullet. Searing heat cauterized my wound, sending flames of pain through me. I missed the cool darkness where there had been no pain. But it was gone.

Wet. Something wet had hit me. I slowly, painfully opened my eyes. Rain was falling on me. The splash of water on my face had dragged me back to consciousness. I groaned loudly, feeling like this was just a practical joke. In reality, I was dead. It wasn't possible to hurt this much.

I tried to move, but I couldn't. Just trying to wiggle my fingers sent a wave of pain through me that threatened to take me back to unconsciousness. I thought about that for a second and then realized that I had no qualms with returning to that state. I concentrated on moving my fingers until I passed out a second time.

**_494 stood in the line next to me. Of course, he was at the head of his line, being a C.O., and I was far back in mine, but I could still easily see him and identify him. I tried to keep from glaring at him out of the corner of my eye. I tried to focus on the lecture we were being given by the tac leaders._**

"It has come to our attention that you soldiers are letting phony sentimentality interfere with your judgment. You're getting attached to the members of your unit, giving them stupid names that serve no purpose. Some of you might even be thinking that they are your friends. You have no friends! You are all soldiers! The person next to you is another soldier and nothing more. The only reason you should give a shit about them at all is because the success of your mission might be dependant upon them. Do you understand?" the tac leader demanded.

"Yes, sir!" the assembled X-5's chorused as one.

My teeth clenched as I noticed the almost imperceptible smirk on 494's face. It was like he was knew he was better than the rest of us or something. Like he knew that this lecture didn't apply to him because he was fucking perfect.

I reigned in my temper quickly. It was going to get me in trouble if I didn't get it under control.

"The Board of Directors thinks we need to reassign units. Is that necessary, soldiers?" another tac leader took over for the first.

"No, sir!"

"Are we ever going to have to have this discussion again?" the second tac leader glared at all of us in turn.

"No, sir!"

"494, fall out!" a third tac leader ordered suddenly.

494 almost looked like he was about to grin as he took a step forward.

"Sir?" he asked.

"494, you will demonstrate to these soldiers the detachment that you practice in your unit. Who do you spend the most time with, 494?" 

"X5-511, sir!" 494 replied immediately.

"511, front and center!"

511 ran forward to stand at attention next to 494, his C.O.

"494, render X5-511 unconscious." the tac leader said emotionlessly.

"Yes, sir!" 494 said crisply.

Without any hesitation, 494 whirled on his second in command and proceeded to beat him. 511 almost visibly winced before a sharp kick to the head sent him to the floor. He didn't rise. 494 turned back to face the tac leaders, resuming attention. The uncaring look on his face had never wavered.

I hated him.

"You would all do to follow 494's example. You all mean nothing! You are a means to a purpose and nothing more. Any of you so much as breathes to the contrary, you'll be sorry. Understood?" 

"Yes, sir!"

The tac leaders exchanged glances, then nodded.

"Resume sparring practice!"

I paired up with 772 again to practice hand-to-hand combat. I had been secretly calling her Kira, a name she had assumed on our last mission and she had been calling me Jess in return. I irrationally began to think that somehow Alec had discovered this and had turned us in to the tac leaders. It seemed almost like he purposefully tried to antagonize me. But not just me. It was like he enjoyed making everyone hate him. I had seen him pick on some of the others. How he got away with it, I couldn't figure out. He seemed to get away with everything.

I glanced in his direction, hoping that maybe he would slip up and his opponent would land a punch to his face. Unfortunately, while I was looking in 494's direction, Kira was sending a kick towards my stomach. I grunted as the air rushed out of my lungs and focused my attention back on my opponent. Inwardly, I cursed 494. That had been his fault!

The almost instinctive reactions that had been forcibly ingrained into me dragged me back to consciousness. My eyes snapped open. I sensed someone approaching.

"Jess?" a familiar voice questioned.

A moment later, Alec came into my field of vision. He was frowning and looked worried.

"Hi." I said weakly, my voice sounding more like a croak.

"Oh, my God. What happened to you?" Alec asked, dropping to his knees next to me.

Water streamed down his face and I realized that the rain had gotten heavier.

"I ran into some CAT guys that didn't seem to want to go down like they're supposed to." I coughed, trying to dispel the lump in my throat but the action of coughing made me gasp from the pain.

"Familiars." Alec said.

My brow furrowed with confusion. Alec saw my look and shook his head.

"I'll explain later. Let's get you out of here. Can you move?" he asked.

I shook my head weakly.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

"No, it's okay. I can carry you." he said immediately.

"You're stomach." I reminded him.

"It's fine." Alec said, shifting so that he was crouched next to me and sliding his hands under my shoulders, "I'm sorry if this hurts."

I nodded, gritting my teeth against the pain as he lifted up my torso enough to get one arm around me and then shifting me so that he could get his other arm under my legs. I almost squeaked with pain as he lifted me off the ground, holding me tight to his chest. I saw the look on his face and knew that he was in pain, but he saw me looking at him and quickly dispelled any sign of the discomfort. I slowly let my breath hiss out between my clenched teeth and closed my eyes, letting my head rest again his chest. I could tell he was trying not to jostle me as he hurried off somewhere. I didn't really care where. Despite Alec's care, the movement was causing waves of pain to wrack my body.

"Please, don't pass out." Alec's voice penetrated my thoughts.

"Why not?" I gasped out the words.

"Because." Alec grunted and shifted me in his arms again, getting a firmer grip. I gasped a second time, "Because I need you here."

I couldn't reply. Darkness was encroaching upon me. I could feel myself drifting.

"Jess?" Alec's voice sounded far away, "Jess! Open your eyes, damn it!"

Automatically, I struggled to comply with his order. It was extremely hard to pry my eyes open.

"Do not faint on me." Alec ordered, but his voice lost the edge it had had before, "You're going to be okay. I just have to get you somewhere safe. Just hold on for a little longer, okay?"

I tried to say okay, but no sound came out of my mouth. I focused my eyes on Alec's face as he looked down at me. He was so worried. I wanted to reassure him, but I couldn't. So, I simply continued to stare at him as he turned his attention back to where he was going.

Suddenly, I was jarred as we stopped. I realized that I had been drifting again, but the sudden stop had snapped me out of it. I turned my head ever so slightly so that I could see what had caused our halt.

Alec was surrounded. Three CAT soldiers. Slowly, he set me down on the ground and raised his fists, ready to fight. The CAT soldiers smirked, amused that the transgenic was going to put up a fight despite the odds against him.

"Give it up, freak." one of them said, "We've almost got the place secured. You might as well come quietly."

"Fuck you." Alec snapped.

"Have it your way." the soldier shrugged.

The soldiers closed in on Alec, moving with cautious precision. Alec lashed out quickly, smashing his fist into the face of the guy who had spoken. The soldier crumpled to the ground, instantly unconscious.

"You know what you guys' problem is?" Alec asked as he spun around to catch the second soldier across the face with his elbow, "You're jealous of us."

"Jealous of you freaks?" the second soldier said incredulously as he rubbed his jaw in the interval provided by his companion's attack on Alec, "Never!"

"Denial, man, is an ugly trait." Alec said as he caught the other man's fist and pulled the guy off balance.

Alec's arm came down on the back of the guy's skull and he face-planted on the pavement. A swift kick to his temple insured that he wouldn't be getting back up. Alec turned to the final soldier.

"What do you got against me, anyway? Oh! Was it your girlfriend I slept with last week? Sorry, man." Alec grinned and ducked a punch, "You know, maybe if you were genetically engineered the ladies would throw themselves at you, too."

"Shut up, you fucking freak!" the soldier screamed, hurling himself at Alec.

Alec socked him in the stomach.

"Stop calling me that." he said quietly before punching the guy in the face and sending him to join his companions.

Alec turned back to me quickly and picked me up again.

"Sorry." he said, trying to be gentle as once again he had to jostle me, "Thank God they were ordinaries."

I couldn't reply because I was miles away by the time he finished speaking. Everything became fuzzy before I closed my eyes.


	21. Guilty

****

Guilty

"Alec?"

For a moment I felt alone and scared, but then I got a grip on myself. I opened my eyes and assessed the situation.

I was in Alec's apartment, lying on his bed. The blankets were drawn up to my chin. A bowl of bloody water and a stained washcloth lay on the nightstand. I realized that Alec had cleaned my wounds. But where he was currently, I had no idea.

"Alec." I called louder.

My voice still sounded strained to my ears. I vaguely remembered one of the soldiers trying to strangle me before the others convinced him that his method of killing was not painful enough. I figured that must be the reason why I was having so much trouble speaking.

"Alec." I tried again.

Still, there was no answer. I bit my lip in determination as I decided to get up and look for him. My teeth dug into the skin of my lip as I tried to move. The skin split as I put weight on my feet and tried to stand. I cried out as my legs folded under my weight. I barely managed to catch the bed and keep myself from hitting the floor. Instead, I slowly lowered myself to the ground where I stayed, tears in my eyes from the pain. I hated this helplessness. What if Alec or Kira needed me?

That thought sent a new wave of determination through me. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, clutched the bed frame, and used it to pull myself back to my feet. Slowly, ever so slowly, I took a step towards the door. I could taste the blood from my lip and it brought memories to the fore of my mind.

**_Blood. There was so much blood. None of it mine, but I still felt like it was oozing from me. This was my doing, all this blood. I wondered what I should feel. No, I shouldn't feel at all. I should report back that I had completed my mission._**

I wiped my bloody hands on my pants and walked away.

I blinked slowly, riding myself of that memory. I'd noticed that whenever I was hurt or unconscious I tended to have flashbacks. Something about the pain, the cold, the numbness, the dark; it brought back Manticore.

I took another agonizing step, reaching the end of the bed. I mustered my strength, knowing that my next step would take me away from the support of the bed. I closed my eyes again. I would go on the count of three. I would take that step and ultimately I would reach the door. I slowly counted to three and pushed away from the bed. I took a few quick steps toward the door before I felt my legs giving way. I took a few more stumbling steps so that I could fall against the door frame. I let myself slide to the floor, my breath coming out as a hiss from between clenched teeth. God, did I hurt!

"Alec." I croaked through the pain, looking out across the apartment.

He wasn't there. The apartment was empty. I sighed and closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the door frame.

I wasn't going to pass out. Not this time. I was just going to rest for a little while before I went to look for Alec. I kept repeating that in my brain. But I dropped out of consciousness anyway.

**_I glanced back at the man I had just robbed, saw him reach for his wallet, and discover it gone. He frantically searched for the missing article, but obviously he didn't find it. It was securely in my possession. _**

The man turned to his female companion, probably his wife, and began to tell her what had happened. She began very upset and he looked like he was about to cry. His helplessness made her even more upset and she began to yell loud enough for her voice to carry over to me.

"How could you let this happen? How are we going to feed the children? You know how this city is. You should have been paying more attention. Oh, God, Henry. What are we going to do?" she broke into sobs.

The man, Henry, put his arms around her, stroking her hair. He offered her no comfort, he probably couldn't think of anything to say that would help the situation.

I tore my eyes away. I had to get moving. It was too suspicious to stand around here staring at the couple. I had to go and meet Kira. But for some reason I couldn't seem to leave. My eyes wandered back to the couple and a strange feeling came over me. I felt like I shouldn't have taken that man's wallet. I felt similar to the way I felt when a mission failed because of me. It wasn't a good feeling.

I frowned, looking down at my feet for a moment. Stealing had never bothered me before. I did what I had to and besides, I didn't know those people. Why should I care about them?

I started to walk away, but the feeling inside of me grew worse. Finally, I couldn't stand it. I spun on my heel and circled around the couple to come up behind them.

"Excuse me." I tapped the man on the shoulder, "Did you drop this?"

I held out the wallet to him, plastering an innocent look on my face.

The man's face lit up with happiness as he snatched the wallet from my hands.

"Thank you so much. It's not often that someone would return this these days." he babbled.

"Bless you." the woman added before the pair hurried away.

I watched them leave. The feeling inside of me was gone, but I continued to frown. I wasn't looking forward to explaining this to Kira. With a sigh, I walked away.

Slowly, I was released from the confines of my own mind and allowed to return to consciousness. I had no idea how much time had passed, but it felt like a long time. I looked around to see if there was any reason why I'd returned to consciousness at that moment.

"Alec." I almost gasped his name when I saw him.

I struggled to get to my feet, but failed miserably. Alec came over to me. He had a black eye and was holding his stomach. He winced as he joined me on the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Fine. What are you doing out of bed?" he demanded.

I ignored his question. It was much more important that I find out what was going on.

"What's happening? Have you seen Kira? What happened to Katie and the others?" I asked.

Alec shook his head. He really looked exhausted.

"It's over. For now, anyway. They retreated. They lost too many people. I saw White on the outside talking to the guy calling the shots. I think he was the one who called them off. I think this was just a test. They wanted to see what kind of resistance they'd meet, get a feel of our defenses. They'll be back and next time we won't be so lucky. We can't stay here. The whole coexisting thing is not going to happen." Alec sighed, covering his face with his hand for a moment before he looked up at me and continued, "Kira was wounded. She's alright, she just got winged. Krit got her out before anything bad happened. I don't know what happened to Katie and the others. I haven't seen them. I was...I was trying to help Max."

My eyes narrowed. There was something wrong with the way he had said that.

"Is Max okay?" I asked.

"She was in the thick of it. I think they had orders to take her down specifically. She got beat up even worse than you did. She was still unconscious when Lena made me leave." Alec closed his eyes and took a deep, shaky breath.

He was obviously very worried about Max. I stretched out my arm to place a hand on top of his. His knuckles were split and bloody.

The sight of blood on Alec's hands reminded me of the blood that had appeared on the forehead of the first man I had shot. My photographic memory replayed the action in my brain, showing my even the most minute details. The name badge on the man's uniform had read Fulton. It had been the same man who had been on the news, talking about how he only wanted to make the world safe for his kids. Guilt washed over me as I saw the bullet enter his head repeatedly in my mind. His kids were fatherless now. 

Alec squeezed my hand and I blinked, realizing that I had been staring at his bloody knuckles.

"Are you okay, Jess?" he asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." I nodded, desperately trying to dispel my guilt by reminding myself that I had killed in self-defense.

They had come here to kill us. I shouldn't feel guilty about taking them out first. Besides, they were just targets. But all of a sudden, targets had become people. All of a sudden, I was a murderer, not a soldier. I shut my eyes tightly, wishing that I could forget it all. But I had never been very good at that either.

"Tell me." Alec insisted.

I looked up at him, surprised that he could read me so well even when he was about to pass out from sheer exhaustion.

"A lot of people died today." 

"I know. But we'll make those bastards pay for what..." Alec began, eyes flashing with anger as he thought about all the casualties on our side.

"No. Not just us. Them, too." I interrupted.

Alec's eyes met mine and I could see that he understood what was bothering me now.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I still feel guilty."

"You didn't ask for this. They would have killed you without a moment's hesitation. They don't even see us as people. According to some wack-job preacher, we're not even alive to begin with."

"That may be, but it doesn't change anything. I was doing what we were trained to do. If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have left Manticore."

"Jess, you have to know that there was no other way."

"I just wish it didn't have to be like this."

"I know. We all do." Alec sighed heavily.

Alec closed his eyes again and for a moment appeared to be asleep, but with a start he opened his eyes again.

"Sleep." I told him, "It's okay."

He nodded slowly. But instead of going to his soft, comfortable bed, he laid down on the floor. He cautiously laid his head on my leg and almost instantly was asleep.


	22. Shaking

****

Shaking

I watched Alec sleep for a long time. How long, I wasn't sure. I seemed to have lost all sense of time. I wasn't even sure if it was day or night. Truthfully, I didn't care. I would much rather suspend time, put off dealing with the repercussions of the attack on Terminal City.

I pushed the hair off of Alec's forehead. For a brief moment I wondered what my life would be like if I'd never met him at all. If maybe I was a normal person and not some strange science experiment. But that was only for a second before I made myself get a grip on cold, hard reality.

The aftermath of this attack could possibly be as bad as the attack itself. Our haven for transgenics had been destroyed and we had no other asylum. We obviously couldn't stay here. CAT knew this place now. But where could we go? Where were hundreds of transgenics going to hide in a world that wanted us dead?

I was immensely glad that I wasn't Max and this decision didn't fall to me.

Alec mumbled something in his sleep and his brow furrowed. He looked like he was having a bad dream. I stroked his cheek, trying to soothe him, but it didn't seem to help much. He began to shift back and forth as if he was trying to get away from what he was dreaming.

"Alec. Alec, it's alright." I called to him.

"Rachel." he muttered.

He sighed and stopped struggling. I wasn't sure what to feel. He'd mistaken my voice for Rachel's, the woman he had loved and killed.

Suddenly, Alec began stirring again, but this time it wasn't just tossing and turning. He shook with growing violence. He was having a seizure. I looked around frantically, trying to locate something that would help him. I knew that the seizures experienced by X-5's were a result of low levels of serotonin. We needed something to supplement that serotonin or we had a seizure. Some had it worse than others. I was lucky enough to be one of the few that rarely experienced a seizure. I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because of the medications that Manticore had been giving us since we were children. Maybe I had responded to the treatment well. Whatever the reason, I never really knew how to react to the condition in others.

"Alec, wake up."

I shifted, pulling my leg out from under him, hoping the absence of his pillow would help him to wake up. He let out a shaky groan and opened his eyes.

"A seizure. Just great. In the bathroom, under the sink, I put a bottle of Tryptophan. Go grab it, will you?" Alec asked, his voice halting and jerky.

I nodded and pulled myself to my feet. Instantly, I felt dizzy. The room swam before my eyes. I took a few deep breaths before moving past Alec and over to the bathroom next door. My hands clutched the sink to steady myself as soon as I was able to reach it. I looked in the mirror. It was cracked at the top, like something had hit it. I looked like hell.

Taking another deep breath, I knelt and opened the cabinet beneath the sink. A white bottle was the only thing inside. I grabbed it and started back to Alec, hoping that if I got it over with quickly, I would go through less pain. I crumpled next to Alec and struggled to open the bottle. My own hands were starting to shake from nervousness and as an aftereffect of the physical exertion it had taken to get them. Finally, white pills spilled into my hand.

"How many?" I asked.

He didn't respond, simply snatching all the pills in my hand and dropping them in his mouth. He dry swallowed, his eyes focused firmly on the ceiling. He had pulled himself into a sitting position in the spot I had previously occupied, leaning back against the door frame. I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around him, trying to steady him with what strength I had.

"Do you have these a lot?" I asked him.

"N...not usually. I think Max and her 'sibs' got the worst of it because they split before Manticore started the treatments. I only have them maybe once or twice a year. No big deal, really."

I smiled slightly at his attempt to brush off even his seizures. I rested my head on his shaking shoulder.

"How about you?" he asked.

"I hardly ever get them. I haven't had one in two and a half years."

"That's nice." Alec closed his eyes briefly, "Look, Jess. I know that you want to go and check on Kira, but...could you just wait for maybe a little while. You know, until this stupid seizure is over and I'm back to my usual charming self."

He flashed a hint of his usual grin.

"I'm not going anywhere." I assured him.

"I knew it. Can't resist me."

I smiled. His seizures were slightly less violent now. The Tryptophan was starting to kick in.

"So, what are Familiars?" I spoke up after a moment of silence.

"Oh, them. Familiars would be those wack guys that you shoot and don't hurt. They're part of that breeding cult I told you about. The ones that want transgenics dead. They've been selectively breeding for hundreds of years to become as strong and as fast as we are. Only problem is that they don't feel pain like we do. Plus, we kind of piss them off what with having all their traits with none of the centuries of work. CAT must be filled with them which is definitely bad news for us."

That explained the CAT soldiers I had run into. I accepted this information and processed it in silence. Once again, I did not envy Max her position.

"How's your stomach?" I asked finally, changing the subject.

"Fine." he replied shortly.

He sounded tired.

"You can go to sleep again if you want."

"No, I'm alright."

"You'll heal faster if you sleep."

"I'm fine."

"Alec."

"I said I'm fine." he repeated, but his voice lacked any conviction.

I said nothing and within minutes his eyes closed and his head fell back against the doorframe. His breathing slowed. He was asleep again and his seizures were dying down. By the time he woke up, they would probably be over with.

I should go to the infirmary to see Kira now, but I thought back on the last time I had moved and decided against it. I would rest a little longer and maybe when Alec woke up, we could go there together. That way he could check on Max. And I could thank Krit for looking out for my friend. He really was a good guy.

Alec shook only faintly now. I hardly noticed anymore. I was relieved that the seizures weren't very bad. Alec was injured already, he didn't need bad seizures on top of that.

"I need you here, too, you know." I whispered to him, "I don't know what's going to happen to all of us now, but I can't go back to the way things were before. You've ruined that for me. I need you now. Kira may not like it, but I didn't ask for it to happen. All of a sudden, you meant something to me. It's your fault, really. You were the one who had to take that mission. You were the one who had to bring us here and be so understanding. You were the one who had to actually care about me. Now look at me. I can hardly even think of living without you. That's not something Manticore would encourage, you know. It has to be your doing."

I sighed deeply, enjoying the feel of my head on his shoulder.

"I just wish everything wasn't so hard. I wish this could be simple. I could just tell you I feel the way I do and you could tell me what you feel without any weird history between us. Without any life and death situations getting in the way. Without your tragic past experiences making it so difficult for you to feel strongly about anyone. That's one thing about Manticore. Everything was pretty simple there. You did what you were told. You didn't feel anything about anyone. The only person you were supposed to care about was yourself. Only problem was they didn't create us that way. We're still human. At least, I think we are."

Alec continued to sleep peacefully, not shaking at all anymore. I sighed again and closed my eyes.


	23. Bedside Manner

****

Bedside Manner

My eyes flew open as I heard rapid footsteps approaching Alec's door. A moment later the door was flung open and Krit entered. My brow furrowed slightly in surprise and confusion. What was Krit doing here?

"There you are!" Krit said, hurrying over and kneeling next to Alec and me. He placed a hand on Alec's shoulder and gently shook him, "Wake up, man. We need you at the infirmary."

Alec groaned and I released him from my embrace.

"Max?" he demanded before he even appeared to be fully awake.

"Yeah, Max." Krit agreed, "But it's not what you think. She's okay. She's just freaking out. She won't listen to anybody. We need you to come talk to her."

Alec nodded. He placed one hand on the ground and pulled his legs under him before pushing himself up. He looked a little shaky for a second, but then his strength seemed to return. Krit offered me a hand and pulled me to my feet. My legs felt like rubber, but I forced them to support me. Krit looked at me questioningly and I nodded. I would stand on my own. I had had time to recuperate. One little fight was not going to keep me down any longer.

Krit led the way out the door and down the stairs of the apartment complex. The stairs were difficult. Both men watched me like they thought I might collapse at any minute. That made me very determined not to despite the fact that I did, in fact, feel like collapsing. But it was all mind over matter, right? That's what Manticore taught us. 

**_"What the mind can conceive, the body can accomplish. Repeat that for me, soldiers!" Lydecker said as he walked down the line, glaring at each of us in turn._**

We were lined up in front of the pool, waiting for another session on holding our breaths.

"What the mind can conceive, the body can accomplish, sir!" we all shouted.

"Is it possible to remain underwater for over four minutes without drowning?"

"Yes, sir!"

Lydecker stopped in front of me.

"Then, why don't you show us, 613?"

I cringed inwardly, but saluted.

"Yes, sir!" I shouted and ran for the edge of the pool.

I lowered myself into the freezing cold water and swam for the bottom. Along the bottom of the pool were metal bars with shackles attached to them. I clamped a pair around my ankles and prepared for a long wait.

I had never been in the pool alone before. It was unsettling not having a strong presence like 772 or 857 next to me. The water was so cold. I felt like my lungs were frozen.

I looked up. I could see Lydecker and my unit looking down at me.

Hadn't it been four minutes yet? I needed air. My vision was starting to become fuzzy. There wasn't enough oxygen reaching my brain. I could feel my limbs going numb as my body refocused the direction of my blood flow, carrying more oxygen to my vitals. My heart was beating rapidly, trying to compensate. I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears.

I struggled. There was some kind of mistake. It had been four minutes. It had to have been four minutes.

They were going to drown me. The realization dawned on me, one crystal clear thought in my muddled mind. I was the weak link in my unit. They were going to get rid of me and make me an example to the others all at once.

I looked up again and found 772's face. We were usually paired together, the two of us. Her eyes encouraged me, told me to remain calm. I kept my eyes fixed on hers until the shackles on my ankles suddenly released. Startled, I raced for the surface and gasped in air. That was the first time I had ever passed that exercise.

I made it to the bottom of the stairs and paused for a moment to recover.

"Are you alright, Jess?" Alec asked, his eyes searching mine.

"I'm fine." I replied, mimicking Alec.

He rolled his eyes and smiled.

I followed Krit and Alec out the door and was immensely grateful that Alec didn't live very far from the center of TC where HQ and the infirmary were located.

I heard Max screaming from down the street.

"Well, that's not a good sign." Alec commented, eyebrows raised, "Usually the yelling doesn't start until after I've arrived."

"She's been like that ever since she regained consciousness. My ears are still ringing." Krit complained.

"Great."

Alec paused before the infirmary door and seemed to be preparing himself. He took a deep breath, then pushed the door open. I followed and Krit entered last, seeming rather reluctant to get any closer to the noise.

"Hey, Maxie. What's up?" Alec asked casually.

"Alec! Where the hell have you been?" Max demanded.

She pushed away Syl who was trying to keep her lying down and sat up.

"Well..." Alec began, but was immediately interrupted.

"You jackass! I thought you'd been killed. I mean, there was no way you could've taken on that many Familiars alone. I was there, I know. And then, you take your sweet time to show up and let me know you're okay. You're such a jerk, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know. Damn me and my helping you out. I'll have to work on that." Alec replied sarcastically.

"Helping me out? You call putting yourself in danger so that I have to risk my neck to save your ass helping me out?"

"Oh, that's exactly what happened. Right."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"If the shoe fits."

"I am so gonna kick your ass!"

"Somebody save me, a handicap transgenic is after me!"

"I'm not handicap, I'm fine."

"Well, you sure look like hell."

"You..."

"Guys!" Krit yelled suddenly, "Would you both please take it down like fifty decibels? You're killing me."

"Shut up, Krit." Max and Alec both snapped.

I couldn't stand any longer. I found a wall and leaned against it, slowly sinking to the floor. Alec immediately noticed my movement and came to my side, kneeling before me.

"Are you really okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine. I just want to sit for a minute." I assured him.

"Did you get her beat up, too?" Max snapped.

Alec stiffened instantly. I could see the hurt in his eyes for a fraction of a second before all emotion disappeared from the hazel depths and he stood up.

"Glad to see you're okay, Max." Alec said.

Max opened her mouth to make another comment, but paused. Her brow furrowed for a moment as if she were thinking hard about something or was confused.

"Look, Alec. I need your help. We've got to start getting everything back together." Max said, changing the subject and no longer shouting.

"About that, you got any ideas about where we're going to go? I'm thinking TC has been pretty much compromised to hell and back." Alec moved a little bit closer to Max's bedside, almost like he was testing the waters, seeing how close he could get before she started yelling again.

Max nodded, but said nothing. I had the sneaking suspicion that she had no idea what we were going to do and generally when you're leader is clueless, you're in trouble.

"Jess?"

My head snapped around to face a bed across the room. Kira was lying in it. It appeared that she had just woken up. How she had slept through all Max's shouting I had no idea, but she was rubbing her eyes and scooting back to prop her back against the pillows.

"Kira." I said, struggling to get up again.

Krit helped me up again and walked with me over to Kira's bedside. I felt Alec's eyes watching me.

"Are you okay?" I asked my friend.

"Yeah, I'm alright." she said, "I just got hit in the shoulder. Max was way worse when they brought her in. We weren't sure she was going to make it at first. She almost fell into a coma. But she woke up about an hour ago and has been yelling about Alec and Joshua, demanding to see them and make sure they're okay. Joshua came by right away, but no one could find Alec. I guess I kind of tuned her out and fell asleep."

"I'm surprised she's as...uh...lively as she is." Krit agreed, "She should be dead asleep right now, recovering."

"I'm quite aware." I said dryly, "I ran into a few Familiars myself."

"I can see that." Kira said, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked me over, "Are you okay?"

"I've been asked that a lot. Yes, I'm fine. Just a little shaky. I just need time to recup."

Kira nodded, accepting my diagnosis. Kira didn't usually doubt me, which was another reason why her objection to Alec was so strange.

"I hear Krit bailed you out?" I asked.

"More like assisted." Krit said, "I just happened to be in the neighborhood, you know."

"Well, thanks." I said, quietly.

Kira wouldn't appreciate me advocating someone looking out for her.

We all turned our heads towards the infirmary door just as Dix entered.

"Hey, Max. You're awake. Logan's been on the computer for hours trying to get a hold of you. I've been trying to get rid of him for the last hour, but he won't listen." Dix reported.

Max sighed.

"Is there any way you can get a hookup in here?" Syl asked, glaring at Max until she gave up protesting.

"Be right back." Dix nodded, disappearing back out the door.

"What are you going to tell him?" Alec asked, "Are you going to break the news to him? Tell him you've got to skip town?"

Max remained silent.

"Max?" Alec pressed.

"I don't know, okay? Back off." she burst out, "Just leave me alone."

"Do you still want me to...um...you know...play my part?" Alec asked quietly.

Max paused. It appeared that she was considering whatever Alec was talking about.

"Maybe." she said finally.

"Do you know what they're talking about?" Krit whispered.

"No idea." I replied.

"Hmmm. I wonder what's up. But I suppose we'll find out since she won't get much privacy taking the call in here."

I nodded mutely, but I was more preoccupied with searching my memory for some mention of Logan. I couldn't remember ever hearing that name before, but obviously it was someone of some importance given the way Max and Alec were acting.

Finally, Dix returned carrying a laptop computer. He placed it on Max's stomach and opened the screen to face her. A few quick punches at the keys and a voice came out of the computer. I assumed it was Logan's.

"Hey, stranger. I've been trying to get a hold of you. I was a little worried about you what with the government sending the troops in and all."

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine."

"You're in a hospital bed, Max." Logan was suddenly serious. "You look horrible. You should have contacted me. I could have helped."

"I'm perfectly fine and we're perfectly capable of handling our own problems, Logan." Max said, her eyes flashing dangerously with growing aggravation.

"I've seen the news, Max. You call that handling it? CAT's reporting that they took down about sixty transgenics. Yeah, that's nice work. Obviously, you don't need any help at all. Obviously, you've..."

"Don't even pretend you know how it is in here. You think you could do a better job trying to protect hundreds of people that the entire world hates? You..." Max began angrily.

Alec jumped to her side.

"Hey, let's break this up, guys. I think we've had enough excitement around here for awhile."

"Alec." Logan said, none too pleasantly, "You're still around. I figured you'd have taken off by now."

"And miss the party. No way, Logie boy," he put his arm around Max's shoulders, "Besides, I've got a lot of incentive to stick around."

My brow furrowed in confusion. Was Alec implying something? Was that the "part" he was supposed to play? Was he trying to make it look like he and Max were together? And if he was, why?

"Whatever." Logan said darkly, "So, what are you going to do now? You have a plan?"

"We're working on it." Alec answered for Max.

"Well, when you do figure out what you're going to do or if you come to your senses and realize you might need some help, let me know. It's not safe in Terminal City anymore."

"We know, Logan." Max said, much calmer now that Alec had given her a chance to reign in her temper, "I'll let you know what we're going to do."

She hit a key on the keyboard and closed the computer before handing it back to Dix. She looked at Alec appreciatively and he gave her shoulders a very gently squeeze before stepping back.

"So, apparently he didn't take your call screening very well." Alec commented.

"Apparently." Max agreed. She fell silent for a moment, then looked over at Alec, "Alec, I need to talk to you. You and Krit and Syl and the others."

"I know. But not now. You've got to heal up a little before you start tackling anything else," he paused and raised his eyebrows at her, "Unless, of course, it's me."

Max rolled her eyes.

"You're an idiot." she said.

Alec grinned and I smiled. 


	24. Laying Low

****

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I've been having a tough time lately because we had to put my dog to sleep, but I promise that I won't take so long with the next chapter.

Laying Low

"So who's this Logan guy?" I asked Alec.

He had gotten me a seat and I was sitting next to Kira's bedside. Krit had gone to help Syl and Lena care for some of the other wounded that were trickling in. Alec leaned against Kira's bed.

"Logan," Alec rolled his eyes, "is Max's former 'we're not like that' boyfriend. He just hasn't gotten over it very well. I mean, Max is only not with him to protect him. She's realized that she's a danger to him. But he's too...whatever to see that. You really have to meet him. He's one of those rich guys whose all aware of the sufferings of the people somehow. He's tons of fun."

"I take it you don't like him much." Kira said.

"Hey, I love Logan." Alec said, but I got the distinct impression that he didn't mean it at all.

"So, about your...um...part?" I ventured.

"Oh. That. I forgot to tell you. Max told Logan that we were together to sort of push him away. I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth, so I've been playing the part of Max's boyfriend to help her out. One of these days she'll fess up and tell him. I know she will, but that's too much for her to deal with right now what with all that's been going on." Alec explained, "Didn't get the wrong idea did you?"

I shook my head.

"Max would kill within the day if you two were together any more than you are already." I teased.

"You're probably right." Alec agreed, "Here I thought I was pretty damn lovable."

"What do you think is going to happen now?" I asked.

"If it was me, I'd say split up for awhile. Lay low until we find another place where we can stay. TC is nice because the norms can't stay here for too long. I don't know how easy it'll be to find another place like this."

"Splitting up and laying low is probably the safest plan." Kira agreed.

I chose not to comment on the fact that Kira and Alec had actually agreed on something. I was still too tired to put up with any animosity. Besides that, I didn't particularly enjoy the thought of splitting up. It was kind of nice to be surrounded by others like me again. I'd sort of missed the feeling of belonging and acceptance that I'd felt during my stay in Terminal City. Plus, what if Alec and I were split up. Max would need Alec with her and I was new to this operation. I had no right to go with Max and her team. No, Kira and I would probably be put off on our own once again and who knew if I would ever see Alec again after that. I frowned at the thought. The few days we had spent together really had changed everything in my world. Just as life without Kira had been unimaginable before, life without Alec was unbearable now.

"What's wrong, Jess?" Alec asked, noticing my frown.

"Nothing." I lied.

It was really difficult to lie convincingly to the two people who knew me better than anyone else in the world. Both of them sent me looks that showed they weren't very convinced.

"Did you fail deception or something 'cause you are one horrible liar." Alec teased.

"I'm fine at lying. You two just know me too well." I replied.

"She lies about as well as an X-6 jumps." Kira remarked.

"Ouch. Poor X-6's." Alec laughed.

What the heck was going on here? Had Kira and Alec just teamed up together to make fun of me? I wondered minutely if they had given Kira some kind of drugs. The idea that Kira was coming to stand Alec more was lost amidst indignation.

"If I didn't feel so horrible, I'd leave. I don't have to take this."

"Well, that lie was a little better." Alec said to Kira.

"She's improving." Kira nodded, smirking slightly.

I glared at them both and struggled to stand up. In a split second, Alec was off the bed and pushing me back into my chair.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Don't get up. You need to rest a little. Geez, you and Max. You just don't seem to get the whole letting yourself heal thing, do you?"

"You're one to talk." I said, but my voice lacked any real sting to it.

"Hey, I'm fine. Check it out." Alec said, lifting his shirt.

The bandage was gone and the skin had healed fairly well. He wasn't bleeding anymore and there was now a large scar. I reached out a hand to touch his skin and smiled slightly, glad that the encounter with CAT hadn't retrograded his healing.

"I should show off this baby while I've got it," Alec mused, "Chicks dig scars."

I gave him a disgusted look.

"Hey, you couldn't keep your hands off me." Alec smirked.

"Obviously, you're feeling better." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Sleep is good." Alec nodded, "You know what else is good? Food. You hungry? I'll get some food for you guys. Might as well take advantage of the mess hall while we've still got it."

Alec didn't wait for a response, but hurried out of the room. I watched him leave. He was acting a little strangely.

"Well, this was nice while it lasted, I guess." Kira mused.

I looked over at my friend, brow furrowed slightly.

"This." Kira explained, gesturing around as if to indicate everything around us, "Terminal City."

"Yeah." I agreed, "I'm sorry it played out like this."

"We should probably split soon." 

I glanced at Kira in surprise. Why leave any sooner than we had to?

"I'm fine and you should be okay to move pretty soon. We should get moving as soon as possible before CAT has a chance to attack again or start tracking us down. A bunch of transgenics swarming out of the city will be conspicuous. We should go before all that starts happening." Kira said.

I could tell by the look she was giving me that she knew I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay as long as possible. But she was right. Now would be the best time to leave, before everything got crazy. We could slip out now while everyone was still trying to recover from the attack. The going would be slow for awhile while I regained my strength, but we'd still be making progress, putting distance between us and this place. I frowned.

"You're right." I said quietly, staring at the floor. 

"Hey, I don't want to leave either." Kira said, the tone of her voice making me lift my eyes to look at her. 

I caught her glance slide sideways for a split second. Turning my head, I saw she was glancing in Krit's direction. I bit back a smile and nodded.

"I know." I agreed, "Why don't we have some of the food Alec's bringing, rest for a little, and then we'll go. Who knows the next time we'll have a meal ready for us."

Kira accepted the truth of my statement with a small nod and leaned back on her pillow.

"Or a comfortable bed." she commented.

My thoughts skipped back to the night I'd spent on Alec's bed with him.

**_He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I let myself be pulled down, resting my head on his chest and pulling my feet up onto the bed, carefully resting my injured leg on top of my good one. He wrapped his arms around me. I felt like if I spent the rest of my life in that position I could die happy._**

"Jess?"

I glanced up at Kira, realizing that I had gotten a little absorbed in my reminiscing. 

"Hmm?" I asked.

"What are you thinking about when you do that? God, I've never seen an X-5 get so wrapped up in their thoughts." Kira remarked, "I was asking you if you had any idea where we should go."

I shook my head.

"I don't know."

I couldn't think about leaving anymore. Not when we had just gotten here. I had just barely found Alec again.

**_I turned my back to the bar and checked out the people in the room._**

My drink shattered on the floor.

I rose from my seat and slowly walked across the room. He still hadn't noticed me. He was busy talking smoothly to a scantily clad blonde. He seemed so different from the last time I had seen him and yet it couldn't be anyone else.

**_"494." I breathed when I was about six feet from him._**

How different my life would be now if he had never decided to disobey protocol and stop by that bar. I would still be 613 doing an extended exercise in escape and evade, never really taking the chance to live. As much as I had hated Manticore, I'd never really left it behind until I found the person who had been ordered to take me back to it. It was horribly ironic.

But none of that mattered. We had to lay low again if we wanted to survive.

Except that it did matter. Now that I was Jess, a person and not a number, I couldn't revert to my old ways. Not completely. Alec had ruined that for me. I tried to get angry at him for messing up my life, but it seemed like I had no more anger left in me. I'd used it all up those years I'd spent hating him.

"We could try Canada." I offered.


	25. Goodbyes

****

Goodbyes

Alec returned a few moments later, masterfully balancing four trays, brimming with food. None of us had eaten in some time and at the sight of food, my stomach growled loudly.

Alec paused and tilted his head to one side.

"Is that a stomach growling I hear?" he teased.

"The question is, who's stomach was it?" I replied, "We're both starving."

"Guilty lamb bleats first." Alec replied, raising an eyebrow at me, "Or something like that."

He decided not to tease us any longer, but handed over a food tray to each of us, then headed across the room to deliver one to Max.

"Your highness." he said with a mock bow.

"It's about time you figured that out." Max returned.

Alec just grinned and returned to our side of the room. I tried to smile at him, but it was hard when all I could think about was that this would probably be the last time I would get to see him. I hid my expression behind an apple, taking a large bite.

Alec resumed sitting at the end of Kira's bed, across from my chair. He'd barely managed to sit down when Syl appeared next to him.

"Thanks." she said, snatching a sandwich off his tray and retreating.

"Hey!" Alec protested, but without much force. He shook his head and looked after the small blonde's retreating figure, "Women."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kira demanded around a mouthful of food.

"Here we go again." Alec smirked.

I watched as Syl and Krit argued over why Syl should or should not share the stolen sandwich with Krit. It ended abruptly when Syl stuffed the remainder of the sandwich in her mouth and Krit went to work on the other side of the room. Syl caught my gaze and grinned, giving an elaborate shrug of her shoulders.

We'd been trained to think of the '09 escapees as traitors, rats, betrayers. They'd sure beat it into our heads enough times. However, I'd never really seen them that way. I'd always sort of disliked them, but not for the reasons that we were supposed to. I'd disliked them at first because I couldn't understand them and then later because I envied them. Then, of course, I'd become a traitor, too, when I'd escaped, so a lot of the training about '09ers didn't really apply anymore. And now that I'd met three of them, I couldn't really see any reason why we should hate them. The only people who I could understand harboring any ill-will towards the escapees would be their twins, especially Alec, who'd had it so hard after they'd left because of their genetic similarities. However, Alec clearly had shrugged off that hatred since he had stayed with Max for so long and appeared to enjoy Krit and Syl's company, as well. I wondered briefly what life had been like for the twelve of them, being on the outside for so long.

"How you feeling, Jess?" Alec asked with a frown of concern.

I realized that I had stopped eating.

"I'm okay." I said quickly, taking another bite of my apple.

I wondered if I should tell him that Kira and I were leaving. I wasn't very good at saying goodbye, I'd never really had any practice, but didn't Alec deserve it. It wouldn't be right to just slip out without telling him. Besides, he might worry.

So I would tell him goodbye. It was decided. I just had to figure out how I was going to do it.

I thought about it throughout the remainder of our meal. My mind turned over all the possibilities while I ate my food and gave simple comments and responses to the conversations taking place. My genetically-enhanced brain processed the information, but came up with no solution. Alec took the empty tray from my hands and I still had no idea what to do.

"We should probably get you somewhere where you can lie down." Alec mused.

I was about to protest that I was fine, but then I realized that I should go to our quarters and collect the few possessions that Kira and I had. Maybe then I could explain everything to Alec.

"Will you help me back to my place?" I asked.

"Do you really have to ask? Come on, when have I not helped you?" Alec rolled his eyes, then seemed to realize something and quickly added, "And don't you play that 'taking you down at Manticore' card again. You can only play that so many times."

"Yes, sir." I teased.

Alec gave me a hand and pulled me to my feet. I still felt kind of shaky and very weak, but I was getting better after every time I stopped to rest.

Alec paused as we moved past Max.

"Hey, Max. I'm going to take Jess back to her place. I know you can't stand to have me out of sight, but try to keep from screaming this time, okay?"

Max flung her tray at Alec's head, but Alec dropped my hand and caught it before it hit him.

"That wasn't nice."

"Oops. It slipped." Max said with a wide-eyed innocent expression.

"Right." Alec said sarcastically, taking my hand again and continuing towards the door.

I didn't say anything the whole way to the mess hall where we returned the trays, simply listening as Alec recounted the numerous unjust injuries that had been inflicted upon him by Max.

"You're awfully quiet." Alec finally commented.

"I know."

"Is something wrong?"

We hadn't reached my building yet, but it seemed like I had to say something.

"Yes." I admitted, "We're leaving."

Alec shook his head quickly, dropping my hand.

"What?"

I sighed. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Kira and I, we're leaving. I'm going to get our things together and we're going to head out of here before everything gets chaotic."

"And when were you planning on telling me? When you'd got everything packed? Or were you going to tell me at all?" Alec demanded.

I winced.

"I was going to tell you, Alec. I just wasn't sure how."

Alec's eyes smoldered for a moment, then the emotion disappeared from them.

"That's fine." he said evenly, "You do what you've got to do. I understand."

"Alec." I said sharply, forcing him to look me in the eye, "I'm sorry, okay? What did you want me to do? Wait until you and Max took off? We both know that we're going to have to split up and lay low. You said so yourself. Kira and I are just getting a head start. We'll be traveling kind of slow, so we need the extra time."

Alec's eyes softened slightly. At least I'd kept him from retreating back into himself again.

"I wanted you to come with me, Jess." Alec said.

"We both know that's not an option. Max needs you with her and I've got to go with Kira."

"Why can't you both come with me and Max?"

"Are you kidding? Max will need her team with her. You, Krit, Syl, Dix, Mole, Joshua. She can't take any more people with her. Especially two that would slow her down. You know that White guy is out to get her."

Alec frowned and was silent for a long moment. I hoped that he was beginning to understand.

"So, I'll go with you two." he said suddenly.

My eyes widened in surprise.

"What about Max?"

"Like you said, Max is going to have a bunch of people with her already. She doesn't need me."

I shook my head and smiled sadly.

"Max needs you, Alec. And it's not my place to break up her team."

Alec didn't reply, looking off to the side.

"Maybe I'll see you when this all blows over." I offered, although I didn't really believe that myself.

I moved past him. I had to get our things.

Alec's hand grabbed my arm, stopping me. I turned and looked up at him questioningly.

"I have to get our stuff together, Alec." I said finally when it didn't seem that he was going to say anything.

He nodded slowly, but didn't release my arm. I tugged a little, trying half-heartedly to get my arm back. Reluctantly, he let go, but when I started to move away, he moved with me. We walked silently to my building. I avoided looking at Alec, unsure of what I would find in his eyes now.

I opened the door to the building and entered, feeling Alec follow, but noticing that he stopped in the doorway. I had no idea what to say, so I simply proceeded collecting my things. I felt Alec watch me as I set a black duffel bag on the couch and began filling it with clothes.

"This is bullshit." Alec exclaimed unexpectedly.

I jumped at the sound of his voice. The vehemence in it was enough to make me forget my weariness about looking him in the face. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were angry.

"This is complete and utter bullshit. I refuse to accept that this is the only way."

"Well, if you got any ideas, please share because I'm all out." I snapped in frustration.

"Well, give me some time, damn it. Don't leave right now."

I shook my head and stuffed clothes into the duffel bag more roughly.

"No, Alec. I can't do this. We have to leave."

"You know what? Good. Beat it. I should've figured you'd skip out before the rest of us. That's what you do, right?"

I glanced up at him in shock. I couldn't believe he had said that. This was nothing like that! His face showed no remorse. His lips were twisted in a slightly sardonic version of his usual smirk, his eyes showed nothing. Before I could make a sound, he spun on his heel and disappeared from the doorway.

The anger I had sought before kindled itself anew. I grabbed the closest thing to my hand, a shoe, and flung it at the wall near where he had stood.

"I hate you, Alec!" I yelled, for the first time completing that sentence with the name Alec instead of the designation 494.

As if in response, rain began to splash against the ground outside the open door. I scowled at the falling drops and finished packing as quickly as I could manage.


	26. Split

****

Split

I struggled with the black duffel bag all the way back to the infirmary. It wasn't that heavy, I was just kind of exhausted. Emotionally and physically. Damn Alec. Why couldn't he just accept that we had to go. I didn't like it either, but life's like that. It's hard and it sucks, but you just have to keep moving. We all knew that. It was part of our training. Suck it up and get on with it, soldier.

**_"What seems to be the problem, soldier?" the tac leader demanded, looming ominously over me._**

I kept my eyes firmly planted on the training mat. I didn't want to look up at the tac leader and reveal the salty drops streaming down my face. I sniffed, desperately trying to regain control.

We had just started our sparring training at around four years of age. I'd been beat rather soundly by my opponent and it hurt. I'd hit the mat and I hadn't gotten up. My eyes had welled up, my throat had gotten scratchy, and my nose had started running.

"Nothing, sir." I whimpered.

"Are you crying, soldier?" the tac leader yelled in disbelief.

"Sir?" I asked, unfamiliar with his terminology.

"On your feet, now!" the tac leader commanded.

I scrambled to my feet as quickly as I could, swiping a fist across my eyes to get rid of some of the condensation before falling in at attention. I fixed my eyes off in the distance, but I could feel the tac leader scrutinizing me from off to my left. I could sense his anger. I combated the urge to sniffle.

"You're crying like a pathetic little infant! Are you a soldier or aren't you?" the tac leader demanded.

"Yes, sir!" I responded immediately.

"Then, why are you crying, soldier?"

"I don't know, sir! It just happened, sir. I'm sorry, sir!" I squeaked past the lump in my throat.

"Do you remember what you've been taught about controlling your emotions, soldier?"

"Yes, sir! Emotions cloud your judgment. Emotions are a weakness. Emotions get you killed. Sir!" I recited.

"Why don't you think about that while you enjoy some extended PT."

"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"

That's one thing Manticore had been right about. Getting upset about something didn't do you any good.

Finally, I reached the infirmary. I decided to rest for a bit, setting down the bag and leaning against the wall. I was rather wet from walking in the rain and pretty cold to boot, but my thoughts were too concerned with other matters to care much. It was simply something else to add to my lists of things that were going wrong. I wrung out my hair with a sigh.

"Hey there." a familiar voice that was way too cheerful for my current mood greeted me, "You look a little drowned. Don't you want to come in out of the rain?"

I turned towards the infirmary door with another sigh.

"Hi, Krit. I was planning on going inside in just a second. I'm just taking a breather and enjoying this fine Seattle weather." I quipped, forcing a half-smile.

"Here, let me help you." Krit said immediately, grabbing the bag with one hand and my arm with the other.

Normally, I would have been grateful for the assistance, but not now. Now, I just resigned myself to the fact that I had to go inside and face Kira's scrutiny. In the light inside the building it would be more difficult to hide my emotions. I thought back on my training, let 613 reassert herself. As Krit opened the door, I looked up, satisfied that my face was now an emotionless mask. I was ready.

Lena was just finishing putting a fresh bandage on Kira's shoulder when we walked in.

"Jess, where's Alec? I need to talk to him." Max called, drawing my attention.

I fixed Max with a level stare and she broke off her speech when she saw my face.

"Nevermind." she said, "Syl, could you find moron for me?"

Syl cocked her head questioningly, but I ignored her and turned back to Kira.

"Ready to go?" I asked, gesturing at the duffel Krit still carried.

Kira glanced at Lena. The older X tucked the end of the bandage under a previous fold and nodded.

"Wait a minute! You're leaving?" Max demanded.

"We can't stay. It's too dangerous around here. We figured that everyone would probably leave sooner or later, split up and lay low. We're just getting a head start because I can't travel too fast at the moment." I explained.

"But...but...how can you just leave? Aren't you tired of always being on the run, hiding what you are, always looking over your shoulder?"

"Of course, but we don't have a choice, Max."

Max sighed and hung her head in defeat.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe it's safer for everyone if the transgenics leave Seattle. But Seattle has been my home. It's hard for me to leave it." Max sighed a second time, "I won't stop you. Do what you think is best. But I'm not giving up on the idea of a safe haven for us. We'll get through this. We're strong. We were built that way. And no stupid military acronym is going to change that."

"Well, that was inspiring."

Everyone turned to see Alec leaning against the door frame, arms folded across his chest.

"Too bad no one's buying it." he continued.

"Alec." Max growled, "We'll talk about this later."

"Give it up, Max. Humans are never going to accept us and leave us alone, much less White and his goons. Everybody knows it. In fact, Kira and Jess aren't the only one's packing their bags. Everybody's assumed we're going to ground. They're just waiting for confirmation."

"Alec," Max said through clenched teeth, "come here."

Alec rolled his eyes and walked over to Max's bedside. As soon as he was close, Max whipped around and punched him in the face. She must have hit him pretty hard because the next thing I knew, Alec was on the floor.

"Temper, temper, Maxie." Alec teased, not sounding the least affected by the attack, "You decking me isn't going to change anything. Some people have decided to leave no matter what anyone says or does."

Alec shot me a look as he got back to his feet. I glared back at him, not letting any sign that I had even heard him escape.

"You know what? Screw this. I'm out of here, too. I should've split a long time ago."

"Alec!" Max protested, but he was already out the door.

I pretended nothing had happened and turned back to Kira again.

"We should get moving." I reminded her.

"Yeah, okay." she agreed, walking over and trying to take the duffel from Krit.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye?" Krit asked.

"Goodbye." she replied, smiling slightly.

I couldn't stop my eyes from widening in surprise. When had this developed? There was enough tension between those two to make me want to take a few steps back and distance myself from them.

"I'll look you up sometime. You know, when this blows over." Krit said.

"I'll hold you to that." Kira warned.

"Good."

"Can I have our bag, please?" Kira asked.

"Sure." Krit shrugged, but as Kira reached for the bag, he leaned in and kissed her.

I think my jaw actually dropped. I tore my eyes away from the two and glanced around the room. Everyone else was staring at them. Max looked as confused as I felt. Syl was smirking.

"Get a room!" she called.

I glanced back at Kira and Krit who had split apart. Kira was looking down at the floor, her cheeks red. She looked embarrassed. Krit was grinning.

I cleared my throat to gain Kira's attention.

"Can we go now?" I asked.

"Um...yeah...let's go." she said, sliding past Krit and towards the door. I followed her. As the door closed behind me I heard Max demanding an explanation from Krit.

"You know, I think you owe me an explanation, too." I commented to Kira, knowing that she could hear Max as well as I could.

Kira fixed her gaze away from mine and I almost smiled. It was good to think about something besides...him.

"I'll think about it." Kira replied.

I didn't reply. I couldn't think of anything else to say. I watched the rain splash on the pavement as we headed over to the spot in the fence where Alec had first led us in. We were both being cautious. There was no telling who could be waiting for us on the outside. CAT was probably expecting something like this. It would make their job all too easy if we got ourselves shot strolling out of Terminal City.

I noted that my mood had deteriorated. For a little while I had been distracted by Kira and Krit, but ultimately I had still returned to the same depressed and wary state I had been in when we first arrived in Seattle. 

Kira went through the fence first, darting through and across to an alley. She waved me through and I followed, eyes searching every shadow for movement. Nothing. We both made it out without any problems.

I glanced over my shoulder at the dark mass of buildings where I had actually felt at home for a short while. No, I was wrong. It wasn't the same feeling as before. It was worse.


	27. Talk

****

Talk

"Are you going to sulk the whole trip?"

I ignored Kira and continued to pretend to be asleep. I felt my friend glaring at me and knew that she wasn't fooled in the slightest. With a sigh, I opened my eyes, but didn't move from my spot, resting my forehead against the cool glass of the window. The landscape passed before my eyes, but I wasn't really paying any attention to it. I was thinking.

"I hate it when you're like this, you know. You're always so moody." Kira complained.

I rolled my eyes slightly. Now that it was just the two of us again it seemed that Kira had reverted to her old self. Before we had hooked up with Alec, she had always complained that I needed to loosen up, try to have some fun. Then, when I'd started to loosen up, she'd grilled me about trusting people too easily. Well, not people. Just Alec specifically. Still, she was really rather hypocritical.

Kira and I had stolen a car pretty soon after we'd left Terminal City and were currently on the road to nowhere. Out of the city, that's all we really knew. Having a destination in mind would require planning.

"I'll bet Alec's not being all..." she trailed off, gesturing at me as if there were no adequate adjectives to describe my mood.

"I know exactly what Alec's doing right now." I replied evenly.

"Oh, really?" Kira said, eyebrow arched skeptically.

"He's pacing his apartment, throwing these into a bag, talking to himself, and getting as drunk as he can."

"And how do you know this?"

I shrugged, "I know him."

Kira scoffed.

"How can you know him that well when you've only been on speaking terms for a few days?"

"It's not like that."

"Whatever."

"You brought it up." I pointed out, frowning.

"You're right. My mistake." she agreed. After a moment of silence she continued, "Next time, we're stealing a car with a radio."

I leaned my head against the window again. I could sure use a drink. I thought jealously of the drink that Alec was undoubtedly disposing of at that exact moment. Yet another reason to hate him. Good.

This was going to be a long trip. 

Movement attracted my attention and the next thing I knew my head was being slammed against the glass window as the car swerved, tires skidding on the road. I braced myself as the car screeched to a stop.

"What the hell?" I demanded, my eyes searching for the reason why Kira had slammed on the brakes.

And then I saw the reason. A familiar green motorcycle was stopped ahead of us on the road, the rider's face hidden by his helmet as he walked towards us. But I knew who it was. That son of a bitch.

I ignored the pounding in my head that was resonating from where I'd hit the window. My brain hardly registered the spider web cracks that had split the window, evidence that I'd probably contracted a concussion. I ignored Kira's voice. All I knew was that the reason for everything was walking towards me down the road.

I threw the door open and leaped from the car, storming out to meet him. He removed his helmet and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't you even dare." I snapped before he could say anything, "Don't you dare say anything. What the hell were you thinking? You could have killed us! God, I hate you so much. You never think. You never think about what you're doing. You're just so god damn..."

Alec grabbed my arms and pulled me in and kissed me. Furious, I broke free of his grasp and shoved him away.

"No! God damn it. You can't..." 

Alec grabbed me and kissed me again. What the hell was his problem? Did he really think he could just kiss me and somehow everything would be okay?

"Alec, damn it! I said no!" I yelled, shoving him harder.

"Well, how else am I going to get you to shut up?" Alec asked.

I opened my mouth to yell at him before I realized that I had no idea what to say. My eyes wavered to the side for a moment and I closed my mouth and opened it again as I tried to figure out what to say. Then, I noticed that infuriating smirk on his face. I didn't even think about it. I just hit him. 

It was obvious that getting punched in the face was not what Alec had been expecting. He rubbed his jaw.

"Ouch. That wasn't very nice." he commented, "Why do the girls in my life keep punching me in the face?"

"Maybe because you're a jackass." I offered, almost shaking with anger.

"Could be." Alec agreed.

"What the hell do you want, Alec? We're trying to cover some ground."

Alec crossed his arms across his chest and looked me up and down.

"See, that's the problem. I want you."

"And I want a bottle of tequila and a couple hundred bucks to spend on the road, but we don't always get what we want."

Alec sighed in frustration.

"Damn it. Would you stop being mad for five seconds and listen to me?"

"Well, you didn't have five seconds to spare for me before, so why should I waste my time on you?" I demanded.

Alec looked down, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay, okay. You're right. I didn't give you a chance. I got mad at you and I shouldn't have. It's not your fault. You're right. You're absolutely right."

I gaped at him, my anger wavering in my astonishment and confusion. For the life of me I couldn't understand what he was thinking.

"So, if you understand why I have to leave and everything, what are you doing here?"

Alec gave me his sheepish smile.

"At first, I wasn't too sure about that myself. Well, that's not true. At first, I was getting the hell out of Dodge because I was still ticked off. Then, I started thinking. You know, about what you said and about what I said. And I started thinking that maybe, you know, just maybe you had a point. And then, you know how it goes with thinking. I ended up tailing you. And then, I kind of decided we need to talk."

"So you decided to run us off the road?" I demanded.

Alec shrugged and gave me another innocent little smile.

"You're an idiot." I muttered, shaking my head.

Instantly, I regretted the gesture. My head exploded with pain and a wave of dizziness hit me. My vision blurred and my sense of balance disappeared. I felt myself stumble slightly and put out my hands to steady myself. I took deep breathes, trying to get my vision to clear. I felt Alec grab my arm and steady me. Slowly, the dizziness passed and I looked up to see Alec glancing at me with concern. His eyes narrowed and he pushed my hair off my face. His fingers felt my forehead lightly and I gasped in pain.

"You're hurt."

"You're a genius." I deadpanned.

Alec glanced over at the car and I could see him concentrate his vision on the vehicle.

"You hit your head. You've got a concussion. Come on. You should sit down." he said, leading me back towards the car.

"So what's the excuse?"

I glanced up and saw Kira leaning against the car, her arms folded across her chest. Her eyes were glittering dangerously.

"What's the excuse?" she repeated, "How do you get off running us off the road?"

"I wanted you to stop." Alec said simply, moving to the other side of the car and pushing me down in the passenger seat.

Kira whirled around. Judging from the look on her face, if the car hadn't been in the way, Alec would have gotten punched in the face again.

"You wanted us to stop." she repeated very slowly.

"Could you scold me later? She's kind of hurt." Alec said, kneeling in front of me.

"Because of you." Kira snapped.

"For the love of God." I muttered, "Could we all just fight later? Maybe after we find a place to pull over and buy some pain killers?"

"Sounds good. Sounds like a plan." Alec agreed. He glanced at Kira over my head, "Deal?"

"Deal." Kira agreed stiffly.

"Great." I said, shifting my legs into the car, "Let's go."

"Okay. I'll follow you." Alec nodded, carefully closing the door.

"Damn right you will." I agreed, shooting him a look.

"I will." he nodded again.

I watched as he walked back to his bike and put his helmet on. Then, I felt the car start and Kira steer it back onto the road. Then, I felt the sleepiness start to creep on my mind. My eyes got very heavy. I knew I shouldn't fall asleep, but before I knew it my eyes were closed and I was unconscious.


	28. Possible

****

Possible

I could hear voices, familiar voices. But they were so far away and it would be easy to ignore them and go back to sleep. Besides, I was still so tired. Then, one of the voices grabbed my attention.

"It's no use. She's obviously having some erotic dreams about me. There's no way she's going to let us wake her up from that."

The blackness dissipated beyond reach and I groaned as I opened my eyes.

"You wish." I mumbled as I woke up to see Alec and Kira leaning over me.

Alec grinned.

"I thought that might work."

"You're lucky it did." Kira snapped, squeezing some water out of a wash clothe and placing it in my hand, "You couldn't have just signaled, could you?"

"Well, I didn't think you'd stop. Besides, I figured you could control a car a little better." Alec replied, annoyed.

"I was shot in the shoulder, idiot! I only have one arm to steer with." Kira yelled at him.

"Oh. Yeah." Alec said, clearly having forgotten.

I placed the clothe against my forehead, the cool fabric feeling good against my sore skull. Even if I didn't already have a concussion, these two would have given me a headache. I decided to try and distract them.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around.

I was laying on a bed in what looked like the rattiest hotel room in the country. Alec stood on one side of the bed, Kira sat in a chair on the other.

"Comfort Inn." Alec reported, "It was the first place we came to."

His eyes flicked around the surroundings and he sent me a look that said he too grasped the irony of the name. Nothing about this place seemed very comfortable.

"Oh, and I got you those painkillers you wanted." he said, pulling a pill bottle out of his jacket.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position and snatched the bottle from his hand, shaking out about eight pills. Kira handed me a glass of water and I downed them all.

"So." Alec said, sitting down on the bed next to me, "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine." I assured him, "I think my body's just getting a little ticked off about all the beatings it's taking."

"Understandable." Alec agreed, then turned serious, "Sorry about this one. You know, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'd never...I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"I'll remember that. But you wanted to talk, didn't you? So. Talk."

"Uh...I was kind of going for a private conversation." Alec said, glancing over at Kira.

"Subtle." Kira snorted, "Okay, I'm leaving. I'll find something for us to eat."

"Here." Alec said, throwing her a wad of cash.

Kira caught it and left.

"Alright. I'm listening." I prodded.

"Great. No pressure." Alec said sarcastically, "Well, I've been thinking. About you. About all that's happened and about what's going to happen now that this CAT thing is going on. I tried to think of a solution and like you said, there isn't one. You were right. But I also realized that I can't do this whole letting you go thing either. I...I need you. And as much as Max might need me, I need to be with you more. So, either you and Kira come with me and we tail Max or I tag along with you guys. Those are your options."

I stared at Alec.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

Alec rolled his eyes.

"You're going to make me actually say it, aren't you? I should've have figured. Alright, fine. I'm saying I...I...Jesus! This isn't easy for me, you know, because...well, you know why. I just...I'm not good at this whole expressing your feelings crap. I like you a lot, okay? I need you with me. And I won't accept no."

I blinked slowly and continued staring.

"For the love of God, say something." Alec snapped.

"Sorry." I blurted, looking down, "It's...I'm just...I mean...are you...no, nevermind."

"What?" 

"Nothing." I shook my head slowly.

I wasn't going to press him on this subject. Not when I knew how difficult anything dealing with emotions was for him.

Alec sighed.

"Listen, Jess. I want to say something to you, but I just can't. Not yet. Give me time. Stick with me. And until I can say it, just know that I...I can't live without you." he said.

The conviction in his eyes held me captive. He really meant what he was saying, was desperately trying to get me to understand. And I did. I understood. I understood all too well, but I couldn't find the words to tell him. So, instead, I settled for leaning over and kissing him. The second my lips touched his, my mind seemed to explode.

**_"You're not my type."_**

"Are you sure?"

Before I could reply he was kissing me. He was very good at it, too. I wasn't sure what to do so I simply remained still.

Everything that had ever happened between us seemed to resurface with that kiss. Everything that he'd put me through, everything that we'd done together, everything that had happened to change my world.

**__**

"Alec." he corrected softly.

"Alec." I repeated.

Suddenly, I felt his lips brushing mine.

I couldn't keep up with what was going on in my head. It was too much, too intense. But I couldn't think of stopping.

**__**

I'd barely gotten the word out of my mouth when 494 whipped around and began kissing me. This time it was heated, passionate, closer to the kiss he had given me months ago. Only this time I responded, lifting my hand to the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair as I kissed him back.

I was probably making a mistake. That's what I was good at, after all. And I was being incredibly selfish. Max needed him. But it was so hard to think of anyone else's need for him when my own was so great and so powerful.

**__**

He turned to me and I saw his eyes fill with a new emotion. Hunger. He pulled me to him forcefully and smashed my mouth with another kiss. I welcomed the force, kissing him back with equal strength.

I was starting to feel lightheaded. I wasn't sure if it was from lack of oxygen due to our extended kissing or if it was simply because I was so overwhelmed. Maybe it was both.

**__**

He kissed me again and I sighed into the kiss. The twinge in my chest came again and I felt a swell of emotion. This all felt so right. Being here with Alec, kissing him,...loving him, it was all so right.

And I did love him. My dream had been right about that. It was crazy and irrational and completely against everything I had been taught to believe my whole life. Especially considering that I was in love with a person that I used to hate. Although, hate was really just another strong irrational emotion that I hadn't been trained to have either.

**__**

I felt Alec's lips press softly against mine.

"Thank you." he whispered.

I sighed again and slowly opened my eyes, but Alec was already gone.

I really did need to breathe soon. But I didn't want to. Why would I? I never wanted to pull away from him again. I wanted him to keep kissing me forever. The rest of the world could go on without us.

**__**

"What?" Alec asked.

I swung my feet out of bed and stood up, taking the few steps it took to get to Alec's bed. Pulling the chair closer, I sat in it and leaned closer to him.

"Nothing." I shook my head, "Just kiss me."

It couldn't be wrong. No matter what anyone said. When merely kissing him made me feel like this, like the world was flying away but it would all be okay simply because he cared about me, it couldn't be wrong.

**_The devilish look faded into seriousness and he leaned forward and kissed me. For some reason, my legs felt weak as he deepened the kiss, but his arm around my waist supported me._**

Even when he made me furious, I knew that I couldn't live without him. He'd gotten to me. There was nothing I could do about it.

**__**

Alec grabbed my arms and pulled me in and kissed me. Furious, I broke free of his grasp and shoved him away.

"No! God damn it. You can't..." 

Alec grabbed me and kissed me again.

Slowly, I pulled away from him, gasping in some much needed air. I didn't smile and neither did he. I simply continued to stare into his eyes, his eyes that were looking at me with such emotion. Finally, they were too much for me and I had to look away.

"Oh, God, Alec." I said, hugging him, burying my face against his neck.

His arms immediately wrapped around me, pulling me closer. I felt like crying and I wasn't even sure why. Nothing made sense, but that was okay.

"Jess." Alec replied, his warm breath against my hair, "You realize you can't ever leave me, now? I really won't let you get away this time. Not again."

I pulled back to look at him.

"You better not." I said seriously.

Now, Alec smiled.

"Especially not when we're alone together in a seedy motel room." he said, letting his eyes waver from my face.

I laughed and for a second it seemed like the whole world was perfect. I felt so good. I couldn't even remember what being in pain felt like. But only for a second because Kira knocked on the door.

"Are you done talking yet?" she called.

"How long do you think we'd have if we told her no?" Alec asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Not long enough." I replied, looking him up and down.

Alec's eyes widened slightly and I grinned.

"Yeah, you can come in, Kira." I called.

Alec sent me a very disappointed look and I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, I'm hungry." I shrugged.

Alec smiled and put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in to sit close by his side. I smiled and laid my head on his shoulder, ignoring the looks I knew Kira would be sending me.

"So, what'd you spend my cash on?" Alec asked.

"All they had was nutritional stuff." Kira said, throwing bags of Cheetohs, pork rinds, and potato chips on the bed.

"Dibs on the Cheetohs." I said immediately, leaning forward to snatch the bag.

"Darn it." Alec grumbled.

He gestured to Kira to take what she wanted and then picked up the remaining bag of pork rinds.

"Ah, pork rinds." he said, inspecting the bag, "We meet again."

"Kira," I said, ignoring Alec, "change of plans. We're tailing Max."

"What?" Kira said around a mouthful of potato chips, the bag falling from her hands to land back on the bed.

"That's attractive." Alec whispered.

I elbowed him in the side sharply.

"Seattle's not safe. That's obvious. But Max is still going to need all the help she can get if any place is going to be safe for us, right? So, we tail her in case she needs our help, but stay far enough behind that we won't attract a bunch of attention by being a large group of transgenics in one spot." I explained.

"But...okay, just stop. What the hell is going on? First, you show up." she pointed accusingly at Alec, who tried to look innocent, "Then, you two are all...and now we're tailing Max to help make the world a transgenic safe place instead of laying low like we all agreed is the smart thing to do?"

"Yeah, I'd say you're pretty much caught up." Alec nodded.

"Shut up." I growled at him under my breath, but I didn't really mean it and we both knew it, "It was a good talk."

Kira gazed at me evenly, obviously not satisfied with my explanation.

"Look, I can't really explain. Just go with me on this, okay?"

Kira was silent for a long moment while she thought about it. Finally, she threw up her hands and looked at me again.

"What the hell?" she said, "Although, for the record, still don't like you," she pointed at Alec, "still think you're crazy," she pointed at me, "and still want those potato chips." she snatched the bag that Alec was trying to discretely pull towards him.

"So close." Alec said, snapping his fingers.

I smiled. This wasn't going to be easy, but at least I would be with the two people who meant the most to me in the world and I would have a purpose in life, a good purpose, one that I actually believed in. I would get to be myself, Jess, and best of all, I'd get to find out what it was like to be loved for that. Somehow my screwed up little life had worked itself out. Maybe Lydecker really was right. Anything was possible.


	29. Song

****

A/N: I didn't want to make this a song fic, but every time I listen to this song I think of the last chapter of this story. So, I thought I'd put this at the end of the fic so you guys can read the lyrics and see what I mean by the wrap-up part. This is kind of what both Jess and Alec are thinking at the end.

Echo

by Trapt

Close my eyes 

Let the whole thing pass me by 

There is no time 

To waste asking why 

I'll run away with you by my side

I'll run away with you by my side

I need to let go of this pride

I think about your face

And how I fall into your eyes 

The outline that I trace 

Around the one that I call mine 

Time that called for space 

Unclear where you drew the line 

I don't need to solve this case 

And I don't need to look behind 

Close my eyes

Let the whole thing pass me by 

There is no time 

To waste asking why 

So I'll run away with you by my side 

I'll run away with you by my side 

I need to let go of this pride 

Do I expect to change 

The past I hold inside 

With all the words I say 

Repeating over in my mind 

Some things you can't erase 

No matter how hard you try 

An exit to escape

Is all there is left to find

Close my eyes 

Let the whole thing pass me by 

There is no time 

To waste asking why 

So I'll run away with you by my side 

I'll run away with you by my side 

I need to let go of this pride 

Until this echo in my mind 

Before this echo can subside 

So I close my eyes 

Let the whole thing pass me by 

There is no time 

To waste asking why 

So I'll run away with you by my side 

I'll run away with you by my side 

I need to let go of this pride 

Until this echo in my mind 

Before this echo can subside 


	30. A Long Walk

****

A Long Walk

I took a deep breath of the cool night air. It was a wonderful night. Not only because they sky was somewhat clear and full of stars and there was hardly anything close to civilization for miles, but because Alec was with me.

I glanced over at him. We were taking a walk, letting Kira have the room to herself for awhile to take a shower and relax. Neither of us had really said much since I'd made the decision to follow Max. Normally, that would probably have unnerved me. Alec wasn't exactly the silent type. But for some reason I was okay with him keeping to himself for the moment. I was okay with a whole lot currently.

"You know this is going to be hell right?" Alec said, catching me looking at him.

"What?" I asked, not sure what he meant.

"Following Max. Helping her with her little crusade. The rest of the world is never going to accept us. Especially not with White and his loony friends out to make us look bad."

I nodded slowly.

"I know." I agreed.

"So explain something to me. Why bother? Even in the best case scenario, people like Joshua will never be treated like everyone else."

I smiled slightly and Alec's brow furrowed further in confusion.

"I tried to explain something like this to you once before." I explained, "Back when you were trying to catch me and Kira, you told me that freedom's just a bunch of shit. That we could never be free because of what we are. But that's the thing about freedom. Once you've felt it, just a part of it, you can't let it go. You need to fight for it. No matter what the odds."

Alec didn't reply, so I continued.

"Besides, it's bound to be interesting."

That remark brought out a grin on his face. I quickly decided that I liked Alec grinning better than Alec thinking. No more serious talk. I needed to get my mind off of all of that for awhile.

"But let's not talk about that stuff. I've got enough of a headache." I relayed my thoughts to him.

Alec raised an eyebrow.

"Did you have something else in mind?"

"I don't know." I said, my eyes wandering over the forest scenery as I tried to think of a suitable distraction, "Maybe you could teach me some new moves."

He looked surprised at first, then skeptical.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Alec. I've had time to recover. I may still be a little slow, but it's not like we're in training at Manticore. I trust you." after calming his fears, I had to tack on a challenge, "Unless, of course, you don't think you're up to it?"

Alec laughed and shook his head.

"Oh, you didn't."

"Come on, pretty boy." I taunted, taking up a fighting stance.

"Okay, little girl. Pay attention." Alec replied, cracking his neck.

He gestured for me to attack him and I complied, punching at his face. He easily blocked my attack, as I expected. I was pretty confident that he would evade most if not all of my attacks and even if I did manage to land some, I knew that he could take the blows. This was 494, after all. The star of Manticore. I would have killed for the chance to punch him in the face just a year before.

**_"Yah!" we all yelled in chorus as we executed a right-handed uppercut._**

My eyes narrowed as I imagined 494's face being at the receiving end of the blow. I hadn't seen him in almost two weeks, but my hatred for him had not dissipated any. He was away on a mission currently, a mission that had been mine by all rights. My chance to prove myself and he had stolen it right out from under me.

"Yah!" we all yelled again and my arm shook with the force I put behind the punch.

"Hey, get your head in the game, will you? You're making this too easy." Alec called me back from my thoughts as he pulled me off balance and pushed me out of striking range.

"Sorry. I'll try harder." I replied, whipping around and aiming a crescent kick at his head.

He ducked inside of my defenses and pushed me back again, hands hitting my abdomen. I growled in frustration and grabbed at his arms, pulling him forward. I fell on my back, sticking a leg up into his chest to throw him over me. He absorbed the fall, somersaulting back to his feet. I sprang back to my own and threw numerous punches at him. He blocked them all.

"You know, I think I know what you're problem is." Alec said as he caught my arm and twisted it behind my back, "You're over-thinking this. Stop thinking and just react. Just move."

I paused as I absorbed what he was saying. He was right. I was concentrating so hard on what I wanted to do that I wasn't letting myself go with what had been engrained into me for the majority of my life. I let go of my thoughts, my strategies, and just let myself move.

I twisted out of Alec's hold and flew at him, unleashing attacks. I felt my hands and feet connect with their targets. The next thing my brain registered, I had Alec pinned to the ground. I blinked in surprise and he smiled.

"Nice move."

"Uh...thanks." I said, moving quickly to get off of him.

The second his arms were free, he grabbed my shoulders and flipped us. I gasped slightly in surprise as my back his the ground and he grinned.

"Now, this is more familiar." he teased.

**__**

He twisted as he fell and I suddenly found myself pinned under his weight.

"Turns out you are my type after all, huh?" I almost smiled as I thought back.

"Told you so." Alec nodded, leaning down and kissing me.

"Thank you." I said when he pulled away.

"Any time." Alec shrugged.

"No, I mean thank you for what you did back then. I know it wasn't easy and you had no reason to stick your neck out for me." I explained.

Alec shifted his weight off of me and sat up, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around me. I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Well, it worked out alright for me in the end, I think." he replied, brushing some hair out of my face.

"I love you."

The words almost seemed to echo in the darkness. I glanced up at Alec in surprise. That had sounded suspiciously like my voice blurting out those words without even thinking. My mind buzzed with the possible repercussions of what I had just done.

Alec smiled sadly and looked away. I could tell I had hurt him.

"I told you," he said quietly, "I can't say it. I..."

"It's okay." I said, placing a hand on his cheek to make him look at me again, "I know."

I kissed him and I could feel in his kiss what he couldn't say.

"You don't have to say it." I told him.

Alec looked at me with a strange emotion overflowing in his eyes. It was not an emotion I'd ever seen someone look at me with before. It reminded me of how the Alec in my dream, the Alec who could say he loved me, had looked at me. 

Alec kissed me again, long and slow. I'd never been kissed like he kissed me and I never wanted to be kissed by anyone else.

"Alec?" I breathed against his lips.

"Hmmm?" he asked.

"Look what you've done." I smiled a little, "You've ruined me."

Alec grinned.

"I like you this way." he said, leaning forward again and nibbling on my neck.

I stiffened for a second in surprise. Then, I almost shuddered at the feeling that ran down my spine. I felt short of breath. Alec began leaving kisses from my collarbone up to my ear. I turned my head quickly to kiss him. I felt kind of flushed. My hands found the hem of Alec's shirt and slipped up inside to rest on his abs.

"Uh, Jess?" Alec warm breath tickled my skin.

"What?" I asked.

"I hate to be all Max-like, but...are you sure about this, now?"

"Alec," I caught his gaze, "I know you care for me. I know you won't just be wasting time. Besides, you were right. I do want your body."

He laughed slightly and his eyes glinted mischievously. His hand trailed down my side to my thigh.

"And what will we tell Kira when she asks what took us so long?" he asked.

"We'll tell her we took a long walk." I replied, copying his grin.

Alec laughed again.

"You are so perfect." he said, kissing me again.

I didn't bother to argue with him. We had better things to do.


	31. Morning

****

Morning

I groaned in protest and pulled a piece of clothing over my face to block out the unwelcome light. It was a practical joke. It wasn't really morning. It couldn't be. Not when I was so warm and comfortable, wrapped in Alec's arms, pulled close, my back against his chest, covered by a blanket of clothes. I could hear his heartbeat and feel his breath on the back of my neck. There was no way it was...

"Morning!" my brain finally fully comprehended what that meant, "Shit!"

I yanked what I now discovered was Alec's shirt off of my face and sat up, my eyes darting around the area frantically. I couldn't believe it. We were still in the same little forest clearing we had walked to the night before. Only now the sun was starting to lighten the sky and Kira was going to wonder where the hell they were.

"Alec! Alec, wake up." I insisted, shaking him.

He mumbled something unintelligible and rolled away from me. I sighed in frustration and shook him harder.

"Alec," I snapped, "It's morning."

"So what?" he grumbled, "Morning. It's what comes after night and...shit."

"Yeah." I agreed, glad that he had finally come to his senses.

Alec rolled onto his back and seemed to be thinking for a minute before he shrugged.

"Oh, well." he said, closing his eyes again and rolling back onto his side, turning his back to me once again.

"Oh, well?" I repeated, not sure I had heard him correctly, "Alec!"

I grabbed his shoulder and forced him onto his back so he would have to look up at me. I must have surprised him with the force I used to turn him because his eyes opened immediately.

"Oh, alright. If you're going to be so demanding about it." he said and pulled me to him.

I was ready to hit him when I caught the look on his face. He was teasing me.

"Alec." I said in a no-nonsense tone, "We have to get going."

He rolled his eyes.

"I know, I know." he pulled me into a deep kiss, then slowly released me, "Good morning."

For a second I couldn't remember any reason not to stay here with him just like this. I felt my mouth turn up slightly in a smile and relaxed into Alec's arms, relishing the feeling of being held by him like this. It had been a little awkward at first, of course. I'd never actually slept with anyone before. As I had told Max, I'd been prevented from ever acting on my heat and Manticore had never seen fit to send me on a mission that required any sexual contact. In my time on the run, I'd never really thought much about it. I'd had bigger concerns and no one had really ever attracted my attention a whole lot. And thankfully, he hadn't mentioned it although I was sure that he'd noticed my lack of experience. I'd been sort of worried that I would disappoint him somehow. He was the perfect one and I was the disappointment, that's what Manticore had taught me. But somehow it wasn't like that with him.

"Sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and trailing a hand down under our blankets.

I closed my eyes for a moment, weighing my options. While one was immensely preferable, I could just imagine Kira storming through the trees. With a sigh, I nodded.

"We have to go." I said, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Damn." Alec said, still running his hands over my body.

"You're making this very difficult." I complained.

"Uh huh." he agreed.

"Alec." I whined.

"Oh, fine." he gave up, sitting both of us upright, "But you owe me."

"Oh, really?" I asked as I started pulling my clothes on, "Well, I guess we both need a shower after sleeping out in the grass, now don't we?"

I glanced back at Alec and saw a giant grin on his face. I almost laughed.

"How is it that I didn't hook up with you sooner?" he wondered out loud.

"You're just a little slow." I teased, standing up and going in search of my shoes.

"Hey!" Alec protested through the fabric of his shirt as he pulled it over his head, "That's not very nice."

"I'm not very nice." I shrugged.

Alec smirked, "I don't know about that."

I punched him lightly in the shoulder before using him to balance as I pulled my shoe on.

"Don't make any comments like that when Kira's around." I warned.

"That's going to be tough." Alec mused.

"Yeah, I know it's hard for you to keep your mouth shut." I agreed.

"Especially about the hot chicks I've slept with." Alec nodded.

This time I chose to smack him in the back of the head.

"Ow! Okay, I'll be good." Alec said, rubbing the back of his head.

He stood up and buttoned his pants, pulled on his jacket, and slipped his shoes on before he continued.

"But what about Max? Can I make comments to Max?"

"Alec." I glared at him.

"What?" he asked, trying to look innocent, but not managing to come close what with the grin on his face.

"You know, I might be showering alone if you're going to be such a problem." I threatened.

Alec was instantly at my side, pulling me into his arms. He cupped my face in his hands before he leaned in to kiss me slowly and sweetly. I sighed lightly against his lips as he pulled away.

"Empty threat." he whispered.

I tried to shove him away, but he kissed me again and I melted. It was going to be hard to stay mad at him after this.

"You're beautiful." he said the second time he pulled away.

"Trying flattery now?" I asked, still feeling a little dazed by his kisses.

"Just admiring my handiwork." Alec smiled, pulling something out of my hair and showing me that it was a twig.

I groaned and ran my hands through my hair to try and dispose of any other evidence. Alec smiled a little wider and stilled my hands, taking it upon himself to free my hair of forest debris. Well, it was his fault, after all. Still, I couldn't help but stare at him as he worked. His face was set in slight concentration, only inches from my own. He was really a testament to Manticore's ingenuity. 

"There." he said, tossing aside a final piece of grass. His eyes caught mine staring at him, "What?"

"Nothing." I shook my head slightly, "It's just hard to believe is all."

"Yeah, I know. I'm amazing." Alec remarked.

I laughed lightly, but shook my head.

"Not that. Although, I won't argue with you there despite the fact that it would probably be better for your ego if I did. I meant all of this. You and me. You know what I mean."

Alec nodded and rested his forehead against mine.

"Yeah. It is." he agreed quietly.

"We need to move." I reminded him yet again.

"Right." he said, stepping back and grabbing my hand, "Let's go. I'm starving."

I rolled my eyes and followed as he led the way back to the hotel. I loved him, that was true, but he was still an idiot. The fact that my stomach was growling, too, did nothing to change that fact.

Kira was waiting outside the hotel for us. Definitely not a good sign.

"Hey." she said tightly, not moving from her spot where she leaned against the car.

"Hey, Kira." I replied.

"I waited up for you two. Started thinking maybe you ran into trouble what with all that's happened recently."

"Trouble? Us?" Alec put in.

"Where were you?" Kira finally asked.

"We...uh...decided to stay up and talk. It was a nice night." I said before Alec could say something else not helpful.

Kira didn't say anything for a long moment. She simply stared at us, hardly blinking. Finally, she turned and opened the car door.

"I packed up our stuff. We should get moving." she glanced over her shoulder at me, "Ride with me. We need to talk."

"So, no shower?" Alec asked, looking longingly at the motel room door.

I took one look at Kira and decided it would be a bad idea to push her any further. I shook my head at Alec and moved to go around to the other side of the car and get in. I really needed to work things out with Kira. Things couldn't go on like this.

Kira started the car and pulled out. I saw Alec follow on his motorcycle before I concentrated on my friend. I knew I had to say something, but what to say I had no idea.

"How's your shoulder?" I ventured.

She shrugged her shoulder slightly.

"Fine."

"About last night. I'm sorry. I never meant or you to worry."

"Well, after being around you worrying about us all the time, I sort of picked it up."

"Like I said, I'm sorry."

"You've changed a lot lately, you know."

"I know. But they're good changes."

Kira glanced over at me for the first time since we'd started driving.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, pretty sure. Why? Don't you think so?"

Didn't she know how much happier I was now? I felt like I was just starting to live my life, like the years before now were simply some kind of dream. Did she really believe that that dream-life was better?

"I don't know." Kira shook her head and let out a long sigh, "It just all seems so...so crazy, you know? The whole thing with Alec and the transgenic nation led by a rebel and how you suddenly want to be a good soldier when back at Manticore you just wanted out. It's all crazy."

I paused as I realized where she was coming from. I had to admit, she was right. None of it made much sense. I was in love with my self-proclaimed worst enemy, the soldiers of Manticore were being led by someone they had been trained to despise, someone who had given up the life of a soldier, and similarly, I was returning to the training I had left behind in order to use it for a new purpose, a purpose that seemed impossible.

"Life's crazy, I guess." was all I could say.

"I don't know how to do this, Jess." Kira blurted, "It's too much. I can't keep up."

I didn't know what to tell her so I remained silent, my mind processing what she had said. Her attitude made a lot more sense now. 

"So," I ventured quietly, not sure if I should actually ask what I was about to, "this was never really about Alec, was it?"

Kira laughed weakly and shook her head.

"No, it was never really about Alec. I mean, yeah, I don't really like him. And I do think that he might be a mistake in the long run, but I can see that you're set on him and I respect your decision. I really do. I guess...I don't know...I guess it was just easiest to target him. I guess I thought that maybe if I could get you to go back to the way you used to feel about him, then everything else would go back to how it used to be, too. Back when I actually knew what the hell was going on."

"Kira, I..." I began.

"And I know I shouldn't have taken it out on you, my inability to deal, and I'm sorry." she interrupted.

I shook my head quickly.

"No, it's not your fault."

"Maybe not but I'm tired of being the uptight one. That's usually your job."

I glanced at my friend in surprise. Had she just made a dig at me? I caught her eye and saw the hint of a smile play across her face.

"I resent that." I said, but I was smiling now, "So, does this mean no more angry chaperone 772?"

"Angry chaperone? Is that really how you'd describe me? Wow." Kira said, "And to answer your question, maybe. We'll see. I'm still not to keen on all this. I still have no idea what's going on or why or anything. I've just sort of decided to go along for the ride and see where we end up."

"I think that's all we're all doing." I nodded, then after a moment decided to add, "Although, it might be a bit easier on a full stomach."

"I'll buy that. Or actually, Alec will." Kira said, fishing out of her pocket what appeared to be the wad of cash Alec had thrown her the day before.

I smiled. It was good to have Kira back to her old self. I understood why she'd been so upset now and I felt bad for not having figured it out on my own. Either way, it was like I had my friend back again.

Alec had been right. It was a good morning.


	32. Banter

****

Banter

I shot Alec a quick warning glance when he placed a hand on my thigh. He was doing his best to try and get me in trouble again. It wouldn't work. I wouldn't let him win.

"How are the pancakes, Kira?" I asked my friend, ignoring Alec.

"Great." Kira replied, before sticking another forkful in her mouth.

The three of us had pulled over when we'd come across a diner just inside of sector 10. Alec had been a little surprised when he'd seen Kira and I exit the car smiling and laughing, but I'd whispered a quick explanation to him as we'd walked inside. As well as a quick warning not to do anything to piss Kira off. 

We were now finishing off the biggest breakfasts on the menu. All three of us had been starving, but obviously Alec and I had been even more so than Kira. We'd just sort of inhaled our food while she'd actually spent time to chew and therefore still had some left on her plate.

I took another sip of milk while I waited for my friend to finish, then decided I should use the bathroom while we were stopped.

"I'll be back. I'm going to find the bathroom." I informed Alec and Kira.

I tried not to jump when Alec pinched me the second I left my seat. He was so going to pay for that!

I fumed about it all the way to the bathroom and back. The way he raised his eyebrows questioningly at me when I got back and the ill-concealed smirk on his face didn't do anything to help his case either.

"Hey, Jess." Kira said, drawing my attention, "I've been wanting to take a spin on a bike for awhile and Alec said he didn't mind. Cool with you?"

I glanced from Kira to Alec then back again.

"Yeah, sure, I guess." I said.

On the one hand I was still sort of surprised by the two of them doing anything but arguing. On the other, I was thinking about how I would get back at Alec.

"I called Max to come pick us up." Alec added.

I nodded. We'd had to ditch the car. We'd never have gotten it through the checkpoints and besides that Kira and I didn't have sector passes. We'd snuck through on our way out of town, picking up the car just before we'd reached the border. Then, we'd had to pull over before we reached the checkpoint, sneak ahead, and take out the guards before we could get out of town. The same had been necessary to get back into the city. 

"I'll make it quick." Kira promised.

"We should probably wait outside for Max." I said, knowing that Max couldn't risk showing her face too much in Seattle anymore.

"Well, let's get going, then." Alec said, nudging me to get me to slide out of the booth so he could get out.

I obliged and we all headed out, Kira paying the bill with Alec's money. I was a little surprised by the fact that he didn't say anything about her keeping his money, but I didn't comment. That was his problem.

Alec tossed Kira his helmet and within moments she was gone. 

"So," Alec said as he started to walk along the street in the direction Kira had gone, "I'm thinking we can get back to TC in twenty minutes, spend another ten minutes explaining things to Max, and then be in the shower in another five. What do you think?"

"You're...incorrigible." I replied.

Alec paused for a second and thought, then nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's a good way to describe me. So about that shower?" he glanced sideways at me.

"Do you think about anything else?"

"What can I say? I'm addicted to you."

I tripped over what I'd been about to say. It was hard to argue with him when he used lines like that.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just shut up." I grumbled, taking a close look at the ground.

"Oh, good comeback."

"That's it. No shower for you."

"I'll be good." Alec said immediately.

"Somehow I doubt that."

"You know me so well."

"Smart ass."

"Alec."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, "So, is this how our life on the road together is going to be? Witty banter and bickering?"

"Don't forget the sex. I fully intend for there to be lots of sex."

"And what about long talks and looking at the stars together and all those other things that normal people do when they're dating?"

"One, we're not normal. And two, you're more girlie than I thought."

That comment earned him a sharp punch in the arm.

"Ow! I'm just kidding. Well, mostly. We'll do dating stuff. Just don't ask me to make you pasta." Alec straightened up suddenly and looked at me quickly, "Don't tell Max."

"What? Why not?" I asked, confused about what the big deal was.

"Because if you do...well, they'll be no living with her." Alec warned.

Realization slowly dawned on me and I grinned.

"You mean, you won't be able to live with her because she'll be able to get back at you for all the grief you gave her about Logan." I corrected.

"I didn't give her any grief." Alec protested.

"Oh, come on, Alec. I know you better than that."

"I would never...okay, you're right. But it was just so easy! I couldn't help it." Alec whined.

"Sorry." I shrugged.

Alec's shoulders slumped.

"Great. Just great. This is going to be fun."

"I'm sure you'll survive."

"At least we're not as lame as Max and Logan." Alec consoled himself, "Not even close. And I'm not endangering anyone either. Yeah, and you're way hotter than Logan, too. Not to mention..."

"Alec."

"Yeah?"

"Stop psyching yourself up. It's annoying."

"My bad."

We walked in silence for a minute before Alec started fidgeting and acting bored.

"So, what did you do after I let you go? What have you and Kira been up to?" he asked.

"Not what you'd think. There were no celebratory parties or anything. It was mostly just a lot of moving. We were always running, going from one place to the next. We never stayed anywhere for very long. Never long enough for there to be any familiarity. Kira thought I was being paranoid, but I knew that if we ever stayed anywhere too long, you would find us again, Manticore would find us again." Alec raised an eyebrow when I said that Kira thought I was paranoid so I added, "I wasn't like this, you know."

"What were you like then?" 

"613." I said simply.

Alec nodded in understanding. He put an arm around my shoulders and gave me a small squeeze.

"But I had to be, you know." I continued, feeling like I had to explain it to him anyway, "It was the only way to survive and not get captured. And I'm not like Kira. She can somehow do both, be Kira and 772 all at once. I don't know how to do that. It's like when CAT infiltrated Terminal City. 613 was the one who fired the gun and took out the enemy soldiers. Jess was the one who felt bad about it later."

I paused, seeing that man's face in my head.

**__**

The name badge on the man's uniform had read Fulton. It had been the same man who had been on the news, talking about how he only wanted to make the world safe for his kids.

What kind of a person could live with the fact that they had deprived some innocent children of their father? Maybe the tac soldiers had been right all along. Maybe we weren't really people at all. Maybe we were just a means to an end, a weapon, a killing machine. Maybe they were right about emotions. Maybe we shouldn't have them. 

A squeeze of my shoulders brought me out of my thoughts and made me look over at Alec. Just looking at him I knew that my last thought at least was totally wrong. I couldn't live without the emotions I felt for him. And I did not want him to lose the emotions he felt for me.

"What's going on in that head of yours, huh?" he asked gently.

"Nothing much." I joked, offering him a weak smile.

"You know I'm not going to buy that." 

"I know. I was just thinking about that stuff they taught us at Manticore. About who and what we are."

Alec stopped and I stopped, too, looking at him curiously. His hand grabbed my chin lightly and turned my face up towards his.

"Don't you believe that stuff. You're not just a walking investment or a piece of R and D or anything like that. Would I have let you go back then if you were? I don't spend time in Psy Ops for R and D. I don't put my heart on the line for science experiments."

With that he kissed me, an insistent kiss. I tried to express my gratitude to him in my response.

The sound of a vehicle approaching made me pull away. I turned and saw a van approaching, followed closely by Kira on Alec's bike.

"Our ride's here." I said.

Max pulled over and opened the passenger door.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey, Max. We'll explain on the way." Alec said before she could ask.

"Cool with me. Put the bike in the back. Oh, and Alec, you take shotgun. You're the only other one with a sector pass."

"Got it."

Alec and I moved to the back of the van and Alec opened the doors as I waved Kira to pull the bike up. The three of us loaded it into the van and Kira and I jumped in the back. I took a seat on the floor behind Max's seat and smiled at Alec as he got in the passenger side and closed the door.

"Alright." Max said as she hauled on the steering wheel to turn us around, "Start talking."

"Well, it's like this Maxie..." Alec began.

"He's in love with Jess." Kira interrupted, much to everyone's surprise. 

I could hardly believe my ears. She hadn't just said that, had she? I think Alec was actually turning red. I think I momentarily forgot how to breathe.

"What?" Max choked out.

"Yeah, and she's even worse. It's disgusting really. They're always together and kissing." Kira rolled her eyes, "That's why he just had to come after us and she decided that we had to come after you so that they could be together. Because you need Alec to help you out so they figure we can tail you and that way we'll be within range if you need anything."

"Really?" Max asked, looking at Alec with a wide smirk.

"Oh, shut up." Alec grumbled, crossing his arms and turning to face the window.

"I thought she wasn't your girl. I thought you were too smart to get into a relationship. I thought you were the ultimate player." Max teased.

"Did I not say shut up? I could've have sworn I said it." Alec muttered angrily.

"I'm getting this irresistible urge to sing 'Alec's got a girlfriend' over and over."

"I swear to God, Maxie..." Alec warned.

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" Max grinned.

"No, you're a bitch." Alec corrected.

"Better believe it." Max agreed, then gestured ahead, "Checkpoint. You guys in the back keep down. Lover-boy, get out your sector pass."

"I told you there'd be no living with her." Alec glanced back at me while he fished his sector pass out of his jacket.

"She's not bugging me." I shrugged, trying not to smile.

Alec rolled his eyes and muttered, "Traitor."

Conversation stopped as Max pulled up to the checkpoint. I scrunched lower into the shadow behind the seat, trying to make myself invisible.

"JamPony messengers." Max said as she rolled down her window.

She held out her sector pass and Alec held up his, as well. The sector cop peered at the passes suspiciously.

"I thought you were bike messengers." he said, eyes narrowed.

"Usually," Max agreed in what was obviously a forced sweet tone, "but we're delivering a bike today. Doesn't exactly fit in a messenger bag, you know."

The cop peered around Max's seat and I shrunk even lower.

"Is there a problem, officer?" Max asked, drawing his attention back to her.

The officer didn't respond at first, but finally he grunted out a reply.

"No. You're all clear. Move it along."

"Gee, thanks, officer." Max said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

She had driven past before the officer could even think of replying.

"You can't even fake nice, can you?" Alec asked.

"What are you yapping about?" Max demanded.

"Oh, come on, Max. That was the worst sweet-talking I have ever seen in my entire life. I've seen X6's do better in training." Alec remarked.

"Ouch." Kira said quietly.

I glanced at her and saw she was smiling. She caught me looking at her, gestured and Max and Alec, and shook her head slightly. I nodded in agreement. Their banter was pretty amusing.

"I'll have you know that if I really wanted to sweet-talk someone I could do a damn fine job of it. I just don't see any point in wasting my time on sector cops." Max replied haughtily.

"Whatever you've got to tell yourself." Alec shrugged.

"You're an idiot." Max snapped.

"Well, somebody's insecure." 

"Do you ever stop talking?"

"Not really."

"Ugh! I hate you."

"Wow, you're right. You are a sweetheart."

"Careful, your girlfriend might get jealous."

"Here I thought Logan had copyrighted the whole jealous lover thing."

"You don't want to go there."

"You're fault."

"How the heck is your utter stupidity and complete jackass-ness my fault?"

"First off, I don't think 'jackass-ness' is a word. Secondly, you started this."

"I don't know how Jess can stand you."

"Well Max, most women can stand me just fine. You're the oddball."

"Do you try to tick me off or does it come naturally?"

"A bit of both actually."

"When we get to TC, I'm so gonna kick your ass."

"You know some people aren't afraid to use their intellect to fight their battles."

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"I never said that."

"But you implied...you know what? I'm not falling for it. I know what you're trying to do."

"And what's that, Maxie?"

"You're trying to trick me into not beating your ass. Nice try."

"Would I do such a thing?"

Max reached over and smacked Alec in the head. He batted her arm away, but she smacked him again. I tried to suppress a laugh, but was unable to contain it. Alec's eyes immediately shot to me and he gave me a hurt look.

"I hope you're laughing because I'm so witty." Alec said, pouting.

"Somehow I doubt that." Max said dryly, saving me from having to reply.

"I don't know what your problem is, Maxie. I haven't screwed anything up for you in at least a week."

"I'm sure you'll make up for that later."

"Do you have to be so negative all the time? You're always 'pout, pout, the world sucks, fun is bad for you.'"

"I don't pout."

"Oh, please." Alec laughed.

"Don't laugh at me." Max glared at him and punched him in the shoulder which only made him laugh harder, "I do not pout, Alec."

"And Logan's not a nerd."

"Don't call him that." Max snapped, but added under her breath, "Even if it is true."

Alec's eyebrows rose at that, but he didn't comment on it. Instead, he turned to look back at Kira and me.

"Well, kids, we're home."


	33. Moving Out

****

Moving Out

The van slowed to a stop and Kira opened the back door. She climbed out and I pushed the bike back to her. Together, we got the bike out and I hopped out after it. Immediately, the change in Terminal City was obvious. It was quiet, deserted. Despite what Alec had just said, it didn't feel like home anymore. It felt...empty.

"Kind of depressing, isn't it?" 

I glanced over at Alec and nodded in agreement. He joined me in gazing at our surroundings before turning to Max.

"So who's still here?" he asked.

"A few groups still have to leave but really just Krit, Syl, Joshua, and Mole." Alec raised an eyebrow at that last name and Max smiled slightly, "He claims he's sticking around because he has to make sure I don't do anything stupid. I think he's still here because of Joshua."

"What about Dix, Luke?" Alec asked.

"I asked Dix to stick with Gem, the baby, and Dalton. Luke wanted to head north with a couple others who miss the cold." Max looked down at the ground. When she looked back up, her eyes were filled with sadness, "I hate watching them go, Alec. It's like letting White and all the anti-transgenic idiots win. I mean, so much for making a stand, right?"

Alec sighed and took a long, slow breath before replying.

"Max, this was the only way. We all know that. And we are making a stand. Just by staying alive we're making a stand. They still have to deal with our existence. They'll have to deal with us until they wipe us out."

Max held his gaze for a moment as if trying to judge the sincerity of his words before nodding in agreement. She almost visibly reaffirmed her determination before leading the way to HQ.

Alec fell in next to me as I followed her, sliding an arm around my waist. I smiled up at him and wondered how he always seemed to know what to say to make people feel better.

"Gee, Alec, is that a public display of affection?" Max called over her shoulder.

"Gee, Max, shut up." Alec replied.

"That reminds me. I owe you a beating." 

Max whipped around, her leg flying up to kick at Alec. Only Alec wasn't standing in that spot anymore. He'd pulled me in front of him. Max's foot froze an inch from my stomach.

"Alec!" I protested.

"What? I knew she wouldn't kick you. Me, on the other hand, she has no qualms with assaulting."

"Using your girlfriend as a shield." Max shook her head and made 'tsk' sounds, slowly lowering her foot.

"Stop that! She, unlike you, cares about my welfare. She wants to protect me." Alec turned to me with his sad, hurt expression, "Don't you?"

I sighed. He knew I couldn't resist that face.

"Of course I want to protect you." I agreed, "But I have no qualms with punishing your stupidity."

I backed up my statement by smacking him in the side of the head like Max had done in the van earlier. Max and Kira both laughed and I smiled. Alec pouted and rubbed his head.

"That's my girl." Max said, giving me a high five, "I think you're going to be real good for him."

"Shut up, Max. That was your fault. You're a bad influence." Alec accused.

Max opened her mouth to reply, but didn't get the chance because Krit leaned out the door to HQ.

"Max?" he called, "I thought I heard bickering."

Krit waved us over, holding the door to HQ open. I glanced behind me as I walked inside and caught Kira and Krit sharing a look.

"Hey." Kira said quietly.

"Hey." Krit replied, "Told you I'd find you again."

"Lucky for you. I was getting impatient." 

"You two coming?" I asked.

"Yeah." Kira nodded, finally entering HQ.

Krit followed and the door finally swung shut.

"It's about time." Mole grunted at us.

"Little fella." Joshua greeted Max, hugging her. It was a quick hug, however, because he soon turned to Alec and enveloped him in an even bigger hug, "Medium fella."

"Uh!" Alec cried as the wind was squeezed out of him, "Hey, big guy."

"Alright. I've had my fill of touching moments. We've got police activity people." Mole remarked, gesturing with his cigar at Syl to continue.

"Yeah, they've noticed our movement, finally. White's been on, trying to blockade off the city. We've got a number of groups moving slow who aren't out yet plus those who are still here, Max." Syl reported.

Max nodded.

"We'll take them out. We'll provide cover fire, get everyone out at once." Max said.

"Sounds like fun." Alec remarked.

"I've got a few calls to make. You guys gather everyone here and get ready to move out." Max commanded.

"Yes, ma'am." Alec saluted sarcastically, grinning.

"Get out of here." Max snapped at him.

Alec continued to grin and gestured for us to follow him as he strode toward the door. I rolled my eyes at him and hurried after. Not many people would appear so happy when they were about to enter a life-and-death situation. Then again, that's what we were trained for. Maybe that's why there were grins on not only Alec, but Krit and Syl's faces as well. Even Mole looked happier than usual. This was our element.

"Alec." I called to get him to wait a second for me to catch up.

Alec glanced over his shoulder, pausing until I reached his side.

"Ready to tangle with my good buddy Ames?" Alec asked.

"I'd say I'm ready to settle the score with him." I nodded, "I don't appreciate being shot in the leg."

"Funny thing, most people don't." Alec joked.

I punched him in the arm, but smiled up at him. He returned my smile for a moment before his eyes darkened and the smile disappeared. I frowned and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"You've got to promise me you won't be getting shot anymore." Alec said quietly.

"Me? You're the one who takes stupid risks." I replied.

"Jess, I'm serious. Just promise me you'll be careful."

"After you." I insisted stubbornly.

"Jess." Alec said, his voice low and strained.

I sighed, knowing he wouldn't let up until I promised.

"Fine. I promise I'll be careful." I relented, glancing up at him again, "But you've got to promise me, too."

"Don't you worry about me. I'm always alright." Alec said, giving me a half-grin.

I saw through it, though. He was trying to avoid making a promise he didn't think he could keep. I could tell he was already thinking ahead to all the risks he would probably be taking, all the danger he might put himself in just to protect the rest of us. I knew that was what he was doing and I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"Listen, Alec. Don't do that to me. Just don't. I know you too well for that to work. So, knock it off and promise me that you won't do something idiotic."

"Do you want me to lie to you?" Alec demanded.

I glared at him, but was distracted by a figure appearing in our path. It was a cat-like transgenic I didn't recognize.

"Alec?" she purred.

"We're moving out, Kitty. The others with you?" Alec asked, pretending like we weren't in the middle of an argument.

"This way." she said, gesturing with her head, then leading the way down a side street.

"This way." Alec called back to Krit, Syl, Mole, and Kira who were lagging behind.

Frustrated, I waited for the others to catch up instead of going ahead with Alec.

"Trouble in paradise?" Syl asked with a grin.

I shot her an angry look, but realized quickly that I was angry at Alec, not Syl.

"Alec's an idiot." I explained.

Syl smiled and nodded.

"That's okay. He's still cute." she said consolingly.

"If I hear one more female talk about Alec being cute I'm going to march out there and ask somebody to shoot me." Mole complained.

"You jealous, scaly?" Syl asked.

"Please." Mole grunted, pushing past us to continue down the street.

"Syl, you're new boyfriend isn't very social." Krit commented.

"You just don't know him like I do." Syl joked.

"Something wrong, Jess?" Kira asked.

I noticed her hand entangled with Krit's, but didn't comment on it. Instead I shook my head.

"This way." I said instead, finally heading down the street.

I caught sight of Mole just before he disappeared into a building. I headed to the spot where he'd last been and found an open door. Inside a large group of transgenics were amassed before Alec.

"...to get you all out at once." he was saying, "We're going to have to move fast. No mistakes. Any questions?"

"Do we know how much opposition we're facing?" a male X-series in the back asked.

"Enough. Sector police and White's people plus familiars. But you guys are only concerned with getting out of the city. We'll handle the rest. If you get in a spot, disarm and run. Once you're out, split into teams and go to ground. You all know the contact number. Check in in one week. Anything else?"

For a moment no one said anything. Then, a strange-looking transgenic spoke up. I wasn't even sure what her genes were spliced with.

"Do you really think we stand a chance out there?" she asked.

"Look." Alec said, glancing around at everyone, "We're fighters. We've had it tough our whole lives. Manticore never handed us anything. We've learned how to survive against the odds. We're quick, we're smart, we'll figure this out. They may not like us around much but they'll learn to live with it when they figure out that we're not going anywhere. This is just a tactical retreat. We'll regroup. We'll get through this. You've just got to tough it out for awhile while we figure this out. You guys think you can handle that?"

There were no shouts of agreement, but there were some nods. That was more than I expected.

"So, gather your stuff and let's get out of here. Max wants everyone at HQ." Alec dismissed them.

I had to admit. He was a good CO.

"Come on. Let's help these guys get ready." Syl said, disappearing into the throng of transgenics.

I followed after her, trying to assist in any way I could even if that was just helping some X-8's fold their clothes and pack them which is what I ultimately ended up doing. The people began trickling out of the building and heading to HQ until finally it was only Alec, Krit, Syl, Kira, Mole and I left. Mole was quick to head out, too. Syl gestured to Kira and Krit to follow. I found myself alone with Alec. I was pretty confident it wasn't an accident either. Syl wasn't that subtle.

But I wasn't about to let her manipulate me that easy. I walked quickly across the room to the door.

"Jess." Alec's voice caused me to pause.

I heard his footsteps as he walked over to me, but I kept my eyes straight forward.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"Not good enough." I replied shortly.

"I know." he agreed.

His hands on my shoulders turned me to face him. Then, his hands moved to my face and lifted my chin up so my eyes met his.

"You have to understand. I take stupid risks because it's what I have to do. You also have to understand that I can handle it. I'm 494, remember. I'm not going to make you promises I know I can't keep. Besides, you'd know if I lied." he paused for a breath and I nodded slowly, starting to turn away. He caught my shoulders again and brought me back to face him, "But you should also know that I have a hell of a lot more reason to make it back now because of you."

I searched his face, desperate to make sure he meant what he was saying. There was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. Relief washed over me and I felt that was as good as a promise. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss, determined to make sure he remembered that he wanted to get back to me.

"Ahem! You two ever going to get out of here?"

I took a quick step back, breaking away from Alec and glanced over at Syl. I suppressed the urge to feel embarrassed, especially when I could almost feel Alec grinning. Syl rolled her eyes.

"Come on." she said, heading down the street.

I glanced over at Alec who gestured for me to go first. I mentally shrugged and followed after Syl.


	34. Into the Sewers

****

Into the Sewers

Despite the crowd and the noise that went with it, my eyes were immediately drawn to Max, standing on the raised platform where the computer equipment was located. My eyes narrowed slightly and I saw that she was talking to Logan on the video-phone. I glanced at Alec over my shoulder and saw that he was gazing in the same direction.

"Come on." I said, taking his hand and leading the way towards Max's position, knowing that he wanted to be closer so he could hear the conversation easier.

Apparently, Max had just made the call because as we were approaching she was just greeting Logan.

"Hey." she said.

An uncomfortable silence followed her greeting and she glanced about everywhere but at Logan. Finally, both parties spoke at the same time.

"I'm sorry."

Max smiled slightly at their simultaneous statement.

"So," Logan said, also visibly relaxing as he removed his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt before replacing them, "what's going on? How are you doing?"

"Well, that's why I called. We've...um...decided to leave Seattle." Max said, sounding more sheepish than I ever thought I'd hear her.

"What?" Logan exclaimed.

"Logan, you know it's not safe here. You said so yourself. I have to do what's best for these people and I really think it's best if we get out of here."

"And then what?" Logan demanded, "Wait until White tracks you down one at a time?"

"I was actually looking for you to be a little supportive. You know, help me out. Not bust my chops. I really don't have the time or the patience." Max said angrily.

I leaned closer to Alec and whispered to him, "Are you sure they used to be a couple?"

"Entertaining, isn't it?" he whispered back.

Logan let out a long sigh.

"Okay, Max. Okay. What do you need?"

"Well, we need to get the rest of these guys out of the city, but White's been on the police frequency, calling for a lockdown. I need your help to find the best route for getting these guys through."

"Max, that's crazy. If White's trying to lockdown the city, there isn't going to be a safe way through." Logan protested.

"I didn't ask for a safe way. I said the best way." Max replied.

"Max..."

"Logan, please." Max interrupted, "I have to do this. I have to get these people out now. There's not enough of us left here to wait around. If White came in here, we'd be dead."

"Don't be an ass, Logan." Alec muttered.

Logan sighed heavily.

"Please, be careful." he said, giving in, "Give me a few minutes and I'll find you a route."

"Thanks, Logan." 

"What's your plan?"

Max hesitated, probably worried that telling Logan about her plan would set him off again.

"Alec, Krit, Syl, Mole, Kira, Jess, and I are going to provide cover fire, try and maintain a perimeter around the street, while the rest move out. Sketch and OC are going to provide a distraction up the street to give us a little more time."

"Max..."

Max interrupted him again, "I know, Logan. But can you think of a better plan?"

Logan was quiet for a minute. Finally, he replied, "I'll come with you."

"Logan, no." Max protested.

"You're not going to change my mind, Max. Not anymore than I can change yours. I'll call you back." 

The screen went black, leaving a very frustrated Max. Joshua was the one to approach her.

"Little fella okay?" he asked.

Max nodded slowly before turning to face everybody.

"Mole, Syl, divy up the firepower. Alec, break up the teams. We're going to try to push everybody through in quick waves. We'll probably be taking the sewers most of the way, but there's not guarantee that White doesn't have people down there, too. Keep together people and keep your eyes open and...be careful."

"Ugh, she's starting to sound like Logan." Alec grumbled under his breath.

I poked him in the ribs. Now wasn't the time to antagonize Max. This was serious.

The video phone flashed, warning of an incoming call.

"Get to it." Max ordered before turning back to the screen.

"Okay, people." Alec said, slapping his hands together, "You, you, and you, kid, with Joshua. Yeah, move it. Over there. Any day now. Now, you guys, I want you with Tep."

I tuned out Alec and looked around, feeling kind of lost. I knew what was going to be expected of me when this went down, but until then I felt kind of helpless. I wished Max had given me something specific to do. I caught sight of Syl and Mole and wandered over to help them.

"What's up, Jess?" Syl asked as she checked the clip on a semi-automatic.

"Need any help?"

"Sure. Hand out these handguns to anybody who wants one. Team leaders need some of these babies." she tossed the weapon to me.

"Got it." I nodded, glad that I was being put to work.

I gathered as many guns as I could carry and began distributing them. I tried not to notice the looks on their faces when I handed them the weapons. I tried not to see the flash of memories in their eyes. Unfortunately, I could almost see Manticore reflected in them. I could almost see the cold hallways, the units marching through them without speaking, without turning their eyes even a fraction to the side, tac leaders screaming at them as they passed. The cold metal was so familiar. Just like it had been when CAT had first started this. And I knew that what I was feeling was what they were feeling as well. But worst of all was knowing that while I never wanted to be back there again, I would need to be, at least in my mind, if we were going to make it through this. It was frightening to think that I actually needed Manticore in any way.

I suddenly realized that I was out of guns to hand out. I turned and headed back to Syl to get some more, trying to shake the feeling that had come over me. I needed to focus on what was happening now, not on Manticore.

After collecting two more armfuls of cold steel, just about every transgenic was armed.

"The rest of these babies are for us to play with." Syl grinned.

"Guys." Max called.

I turned to see Max still standing in front of the screen, Logan's face projected on it. Max gestured for us to join her. I followed Mole and Syl up the stairs.

"Logan, tell them the route." Max said.

"Alright. I found you a path through the sewers for most of the way..." 

Alec groaned. Logan glared at him before continuing.

"Anyway, you'll have to come up on Galup. There's never been transgenic activity in the area or much other activity for that matter. Plus, it leads away from the Canadian border. I don't think they'll expect you to go this way. Plus, it's near the docks so you'll only have to worry about them coming from one side. From the sewer exit to the town borders is about a mile and a quarter stretch."

"I think we should pair up and split the distance." Max said.

"That's an odd number, Max." Alec pointed out.

"I'm aware, Alec." Max snapped, "I don't play well with others. I'm on my own."

"Max." Alec and Logan both protested.

Max crossed her arms.

"We don't have time for you two to argue with me. I know what I'm doing."

"Whatever." Alec said, obviously not pleased.

Logan continued to glare at him, this time seeming more upset and suspicious than before. I guessed it was because Alec wasn't acting much like an overprotective boyfriend. Max must have noticed as well because she quickly pressed on.

"We're going to set up before the teams get there so we need to move out right away. Mole and Syl, I figure you guys will have the most firepower, so I want you guys at the sewer exit. I'll be at the last leg. You guys split it up. Got it?"

We all nodded.

"Jess." Alec pulled me aside, "I need to tell you something. Max has stuck me with a crappy decision, as usual. I can do the smart thing and pair up with someone else so that I won't be trying to protect you the whole time. Problem is, I won't be able to stop worrying about you, which might be worse. Or I can pair up with you and maybe do something stupid that ruins this whole thing. I need you to tell me what I should do."

I stared at him.

"You realize that I'm in the same situation, don't you?"

He nodded.

"You're an asshole for making me make this decision." 

Again, he nodded. I sighed.

"I wouldn't want anyone else with me." I finally admitted, I glanced past him at Kira, "I'll team with Alec if you want to pair up with Krit."

For a second I thought I say hurt flash in Kira's eyes, but it was gone so quickly I couldn't be sure that I hadn't just imagined it. I pushed it out of my mind and tried to get my head in the game.

"Let's take the far half so I can keep an eye on Max and make sure she doesn't do something too heroic." Alec said.

I nodded and followed him as he headed outside. He lead the way to a manhole, grimacing as he moved it aside and caught wind of the sewer vapors. He gestured for me to go first, but I shook my head and smiled slightly at him.

"Why don't you go first and see if there's any piles I should avoid?" I suggested in a mockingly sweet tone.

"Gee, why not?" Alec replied, making a face, but lowering himself into the sewer.

I smiled for a fleeting moment, then followed him. I wished belatedly that I had gotten a chance to become more familiar with this city. Any advantage over our enemy would be nice about now. But at least Alec appeared to be rather well acquainted with the sewer systems of Seattle. I had no doubts that Max was responsible for that. Alec would never sully his perfect appearance without the proper motivation.

It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the dim sewer lighting. It took longer to get used to the smell. Things had definitely died down here. That thought made me pause. Hopefully, we wouldn't be joining them. Max had said White might have men down here.

I followed Alec, checking my weapons as I moved. Our feet made small splashes as we walked, which made me nervous. Anything that might announce our presence to others in the sewer made me nervous.

A noise behind us caused me to whip around, gun at the ready. I felt Alec do the same behind me. 

"Just me." Kira said, holding up her hands.

I relaxed with a sigh. Alec grumbled something unintelligible. 

"Kira, what are you doing?" I demanded in a whisper.

"Krit and I are following you two. We're all going the same way, remember? We were all kind of surprised at how fast you two moved out. Max wasn't done giving pep talks." Kira said.

"We're peppy enough." Alec responded.

"You sound it." Krit agreed, walking up behind Kira.

"The others on their way down?" Alec asked, ignoring Krit's comment.

Apparently, Kira sneaking up on us shook him up.

"Yeah. They'll be down soon. Max, Syl, and Mole are going to trail them since you guys took point." Kira nodded.

"She's not happy about that, by the way." Krit observed.

"Of course not." Alec agreed.

"Well, let's move." I pressed.

Standing around talking wasn't going to make anything any better. I needed to get this over with. I was never excessively patient.

No one said anything, but everyone must have agreed because we all began walking as silently as possible down the sewer tunnel. Alec went first, I followed, then Kira, and finally, Krit. My senses went on high as I sorted through the noise, trying to find any tell-tale sounds of ambush. The sewers in the immediate vicinity of TC would be the most dangerous.


	35. Under the Green Water

**Under the Green Water**

I paused suddenly when I heard something that didn't sound right. I couldn't tell if the others had heard it so I grabbed Alec's shirt with one hand and held up the other behind me to halt Kira and Krit. Alec glanced back at me questioningly, but I was busy listening hard to see if I could find that sound that had disturbed me before. There it was again. A kind of shuffle in the water. I gestured quickly to the others the direction I had heard the noise from. Alec quickly gave some orders with hand signals back and I nodded. I moved as silently as possible back against the wall and followed Alec's lead as he inched around the corner.

Suddenly, the dark world in the sewers exploded. I saw a figure spring out of the shadows at Alec, sewer water flying. I forced myself to hold back and not to spring to Alec's aid immediately. I waited, watching as the figure knocked Alec off his feet and onto his back in the tunnel, as his face disappeared under the green water. I couldn't suppress a quick grimace for his sake before my attention was snapped back to the mission by the second and third figures who I'd been waiting for appeared. I leaped out of hiding and for the closest target. Alec's orders had been to take them down as quickly and as quietly as possible, just in case there were more hiding up ahead. We didn't want to tip them off if we could avoid it.

I grabbed what must be a Familiar from behind while I still had the element of surprise. Pain or no pain, a snapped neck will stop an enemy. As the body fell into the sludge, I side-stepped the splash and prepared to take on my next opponent who, by now, was ready and waiting for me. I slowly moved sideways, waiting for him to make a move, wishing that the sewer water wasn't weighing down my legs and slowing me up. Then, suddenly I had an idea. I continued to slowly move back the way I had come, a small grin spreading across my face. I exaggerated how much the water was weighing me down, laying out the bait.

The Familiar bit, quickly moving towards me. I side-stepped his attack at the last second, spinning around to see him run straight into Krit and Kira who were all too happy to dispatch him for me. As soon as I saw that they'd taken care of the situation, I turned back to make sure that Alec was okay. I couldn't help but smirk, barely keeping myself from actually laughing, when I saw him standing there, dripping wet. He glared at me as he tried to keep his soaking hair from dripping into his face. He signed to me to keep my head in the game. I rolled my eyes, knowing that was just a cop out to try and keep me from making fun of him, but I let it go and gestured for him to take up the lead again. He continued to glare before slowly turning around and starting down the tunnel again. I quickly glanced back at Krit and Kira who were both grinning as well. I tried to sign to them to listen to our soggy leader without grinning, but I couldn't pull it off, so I covered my mouth with my hand and simply followed Alec in silence.

We sprang one further trap in the tunnels before we passed into a new sector of sewer system. I wondered briefly how long we would be traveling in the sewers, thinking that the smell might never be purged from my nose. Then, I quickly decided that I didn't want to know, that I should just focus on following Alec and try not to pay attention to my environment. I gave all my attention over to my senses, but nothing struck me as odd until Alec pulled up at a ladder. He signed to me that it was time to climb out. I signed back that I would go first, which he immediately questioned.

"You'll drip on me." I mouthed to him.

He rolled his eyes and started signing back at me, but I ignored him and started climbing. I was sure that I'd hear about this later, but for now Alec couldn't do much except possibly pull me off the ladder by force, which I doubted he'd do.

I slowly and cautiously pushed the manhole cover aside, pausing and waiting for some indication of danger before poking my head out and looking around. I was happy to find that Logan had directed us to come out of the sewer in an alley where we wouldn't be noticed. I quickly climbed out and moved out of the way so that Alec could follow. Soon he, Kira and Krit had joined me in the alley.

I signed, "Do you think it's safe?"

Alec held up a hand for us to wait as he moved towards the street and peered around for any signs of an ambush.

"Looks clear." he said out loud, "And we should probably talk now since the four of us sneaking around, talking in hand signals, is going to look suspicious."

"And a parade of people coming out of this alley is going to seem normal?" Krit asked, but no one bothered to answer him. We all knew the problems we were going to be dealing with.

"Well, shall we?" Kira asked, gesturing out at the street.

"You and Krit take the north side of the street. Jess and I'll keep to this side. Stay in eye contact. Signal if you see anything." Alec instructed as he wrung out his shirt.

"Looks like rain." Kira pointed out, glancing up at the sky.

I looked up, too, noticing the gathering clouds. What was a day in Seattle without rain, after all? Well, at least Alec wouldn't seem so out of place if it rained. And maybe he'd smell better, too.

"It'd better." he grumbled as if his own thoughts were the same as mine.

He stashed his gun in the waistband of his pants against his back, pulling his soggy shirt over it and the rest of us followed suit before we left the alley. I stuck close to Alec, trying to make it seem to any passerby that we were just out for a stroll. Kira and Krit did the same as they parted ways with us and headed across the street. I shot a glance after Kira, silently telling her to be careful. She nodded slightly back at me before turning her attention to Krit. I had a bad feeling about this. It felt too much like I was saying goodbye. Lightning flashed across the sky, drawing my attention upwards again. I counted silently to myself as I waited for the thunder. When the rumble in the sky finally came, it sounded like a growl, a dark warning of something about to snap.

Alec's hand on my arm snapped me out of my ominous predictions. His eyes found mine and I read the silent question in them. I nodded in response, quickly pulling myself together and letting him know that I was okay. Still, he stared at me for another long moment before slowly dropping his hand from my arm and starting to walk down the street. I followed, walking silently by his side.

"So," Alec said suddenly after a few minutes of quiet, almost startling me with his voice, "Kira and Krit, huh?"

I almost laughed out loud at Alec's out-of-the-blue comment. Trust Alec to keep me distracted from getting overly wound up.

"I guess so." I agreed.

Alec leaned in close to my ear without stopping our movement down the street, "We're a way hotter couple."

I rolled my eyes, "Are you even paying attention?"

Alec looked surprised that I'd even ask that question, "Of course. I'm multi-tasking."

"How much farther, you think?"

"Can't be too far. Sewers should have taken us most of the way."

"Think there's more Familiars out here?"

"With our luck, probably." Alec suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes looking somewhere over my head. I stopped, too, turning my head to follow his gaze and spotted a hover drone coming down the street. I turned back to Alec, who quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me over into a nearby phone booth, "Stupid hover drones."

"You think they put heat sensors on them yet?" I asked.

"Hope not." Alec replied, but he didn't seem too optimistic.

As soon as the hover drone had passed, he lead me back to the street. He was moving much quicker than we had been previously. I stepped up my own pace to keep up with him. More thunder erupted overhead. I wondered how much longer before rain started coming down, hoping that the storm would work for us and not against us.

"Hey!"

Alec and I both whipped around at the sound of a voice yelling. I relaxed when I saw Max running toward us. Alec remained tense, probably because of the pissed off look on her face. She quickly reached us and didn't waste any time punching Alec in the stomach.

"You jackass!" she growled.

"Hi, Max." Alec gave her a pained smile.

"Can't you stick to a plan for once in your life?" Max demanded, "I'm in charge of this party, remember?"

"Ah, I thought we were just one big, happy family."

"Guys." I try, feeling antsy to keep this moving.

"Alec, we can't afford any…"

"Any screw-ups? 'Cause that's what I do, right?"

"Guys." I interceded again.

Traffic seemed to be getting heavier as the sky darkened and my instincts were screaming at me to keep moving. With Familiars likely coming the city and a hover drone that may or may not have tipped us off, we couldn't afford to stay in one spot.

"Alec, we don't have time for this!"

"No shit, Max! So lay off and let's do this."

"God, I hate you!"

"Guys!" I yelled, drawing way too much attention. I quickly lowered my voice, glaring at the people staring until they continued about their business, "Not here, not now. Let's go."

Both Alec and Max looked stunned that I'd yelled at them, but it seemed to get through to them because we all continued down the street. I caught Kira looking back at me from further up the road. She gestured a question at me. I shook my head back at her and gestured at Max. She nodded and turned her attention back to her side of the street.

After a few more minutes of awkward silence from my group, the end was in sight.

"You guys set up here and I'll take care of the check point." Max said quickly before taking off.

Alec opened his mouth and raised a hand as if he was going to yell something after her, but just shook his head and let his hand fall back to his side. The first few drops of cold rain struck my skin.

"Alec." I drew his attention to me, "Where do you want to set up camp?"

Alec examined the area before his eyes traveled upwards. I followed his gaze to the top of the building next to us. A fire escape along the side provided quick access to the stop and from there we could keep an eye on the whole street and the alleys leading up to it nearby.

"Care to be my sniper buddy again?" he asked.

"Gee, Alec. Are you asking me out on a date?" I teased, knowing I'd need to keep his mind off of worrying about Max too much, something their argument had not helped with.

"Dating Manticore style." Alec quipped as we headed into the alley to climb the fire escape, "After you."

I headed up the ladder, glancing down at Alec as he followed. The rain was starting to come down harder now, making the rusty bars slick. I decided not to push it by climbing too fast and instead stuck to being careful. A stupid mistake was the last thing we needed tonight.

Once on the roof, I pushed my slick hair out of my face and moved over to the ledge. Alec followed me and we both crouched near the edge and looked over.

"Alec, I've got a feeling…" I started to voice my apprehension.

"Me, too." Alec interrupted. He looked at me and offered me another one of his cocky grins, but for some reason it didn't cheer me up as much as usual. Still, it didn't matter how much I might doubt that this would work. It was my job to help make sure that it happened regardless.

"Hey, there's the first couple of ours." Alec pointed out, nodding towards a couple walking down the street.

I followed his line of sight and noticed two transgenics whom I had handed weapons to earlier. They were moving fast and seemed too openly nervous for my liking, but what could I do about it?

"Hey, is that Logan?" I asked, noticing a dusty blue SUV moving slowly down the street after our people.

Alec glanced at the car, "Sure is. Looks like Logie dropped by after all."

I trailed Logan's car with my eyes, noticing him scanning the streets, probably for Max.

"You see Max?" I asked, squinting down the road at the checkpoint.

"Uh…I think so. Well, either that's Max or a hot sector cop." Alec pointed out, gesturing at the cop waving people through the checkpoint who had a familiar haircut and figure.

A small smile flickered across my face at Max's ingenuity. Disguised as a sector cop, manning the checkpoint, she could not only get our people through with minimal fuss, she could listen in on the police radio at the same time. Nice work on her part.

I turned my attention back to the street. Rain was coming down with increasing steadiness, but it didn't seem to discourage the night crowd on the street. The next few transgenics that I spotted didn't seem to stand out too horribly as the moved quickly past. They mostly looked like people looking to get out of the rain. My eyes followed them closely until they reached Max at the checkpoint.

"Hey, look. Working girls." Alec distracted me, pointing down to the sidewalk below us.

"So?" I asked, curious despite myself why he felt the need to point them out.

"So I can see down their tops from here." Alec grinned, making a point to leer over the edge.

I shook my head at him, "God, Alec, you're so…"

I couldn't finish my thought as a black car caught my attention. It was moving slowly, too slowly down the street towards us. Focusing on the windshield, I caught a glimpse of the driver and, more importantly, the passenger next to him.

"Shit." I breathed.

"What?" Alec demanded, all humor forgotten.

For some reason I couldn't seem to speak, so I merely gestured at the car, feeling sick to my stomach as I realized how sideways this was all about to go. Familiars in the sewers trying to kill us, I could handle. Ames White pulling up on our escape route, I could handle. But Ames White pulling up with my own personal anti-Christ riding shotgun was not something I could stomach at the moment. This could not be happening.


	36. Evils Old and New

**Evils Old and New**

Alec quickly pulled out his cell phone and speed-dialed Max. His jaw twitched and I fidgeted impatiently as we both waited for her to answer and watched with increasing foreboding as the black car stopped and the occupants got out. We were trained not to betray our anxiety, but training had kind of gone out the window at the moment. This was absolutely…

"Max." Alec interrupted my thoughts, "This is all FUBAR."

"What are you talking about? I just waved Jack and Shortie through and three more are walking up right now." Max's voice reached my alert ears.

"Check out the street!" Alec snapped, "We've got White and…Lydecker!"

Max was silent on the other end of the phone.

"Max? Max!" Alec yelled.

"Hold your position." Max finally replied, "I'm sending Logan back to get the others and rush them through in the car. All hell might break loose, so try to keep this locked tight. I'll see if I can get OC and Sketchy to keep everyone else off the street."

"Okay. Work fast 'cause I've got a feeling that Deck is going to make our people."

I glanced down at Lydecker again. For some reason, it was kind of difficult to tear my eyes away. I hadn't seen him since my near recapture. Seeing him again now was not a good omen. And yet, I couldn't help but notice that he looked like hell. He was skinnier than I remembered and his eyes seemed sort of sunken in. His hands were tied in front of him, but he didn't seem to notice or care. He simply glared at White, listening as White yelled something at him. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I could sort of read his lips.

"I know they're here, Lydecker. Either you can ID them for me…my men will start shooting everyone on this street. It's…choice." White was saying.

I looked to Lydecker for his response. He was silent for a long moment before he answered, his speech as slow and calculated as ever, "You torture me and now you want my help. Strange tactics. What makes you think I even care about the rest of these people?"

"Because," White immediately responded, a look of disdain on his face, "You're military. It's your job to protect these people."

The colonel remained silent. A second black car pulled up behind White's and a man jumped out of the driver's seat and ran over, "Your men are here, sir."

"Good." White said, a sickening smile that made my gut twist and made me want to punch him contorting his features. He turned back to Lydecker, "My men are about to deploy. What do you say, colonel?"

My eyes narrowed and my hands tightened on my gun. A handgun wasn't optimal for sniper work, but I had a shot. Still, I hesitated.

"Alec, I have a shot." I said quietly.

Alec didn't immediately reply, so I glanced over at him. It wasn't like him to hesitate.

"Alec." I insisted.

Alec started as if my voice surprised him, "No. Not yet."

He stirred, getting up from his position next to me. I began to follow suit, but he shook his head and motioned for me to stay put.

"No, stay here. I'm going down to the street. Stay up here and cover me." he said.

"Alec…" I began to protest, knowing he only wanted me up here to keep me out of trouble.

"Jess, not now." he cut me off, his eyes blazing. An argument sprang to my lips despite the look in his eyes, but before I could speak he added, "Please."

I paused, my own eyes blazing at how he continued to play my emotions against me. How dare he do this to me? And yet, how could I not listen to him?

"You asshole." I swore, but continued before he could reply, "Get down there before I shoot you."

Alec grinned at that and quickly headed back over to the fire escape. I turned my attention back to the street while he climbed down. I noticed an increasing number of bodies on the street and some of them were obviously either military or familiars. And they were obviously armed. White's men didn't appear to be too concerned about giving away their presence. Lydecker was looking around at everyone walking past and another small group of transgenics was approaching his location. I could almost see the disaster unfolding in slow motion. The transgenics could see the threat posed by White's men and were moving faster towards the checkpoint. Unfortunately, Lydecker and White stood between it and them. Lydecker caught sight of the group and stared at them, not speaking. White saw where his gaze had lingered and drew a gun. I raised my own weapon to try and take him down before he could fire. Most of his body was protected by his open car door, but his head and shoulders stood above the door. If I could just squeeze off one bullet and put it straight through his brain…

My hand tightened on the trigger, but I could see White tensing at that same moment, preparing to eliminate one of the transgenics who had unexpectedly walked into a trap. They hadn't even noticed him yet, too busy watching the familiars closing on them from behind. I fired, but at that same instant White jerked backwards. I heard Alec yelling and knew that he had shot White before I'd had the chance. The bullet from my gun sank into his car, not only not hitting the target, but tipping off the watching familiars to my position. I could see them glaring up at my rooftop and quickly ducked down, barely peeking over the edge to keep an eye on the street that had just erupted into chaos.

Alec had run to the group of transgenics that had nearly been taken out by White and pulled them towards his parked car. It was the closest cover. Lydecker was saying something to them, but he had also ducked behind the car and I couldn't understand what it was. White was also stirring in the seat, apparently not killed by the wound he had received. The familiars had drawn their weapons and were cordoning off the street. Innocent bystanders were screaming and fleeing. I felt useless up here. I was no help to anyone up here. I needed to get down there. So, my promise to Alec be damned, I ran to the fire escape and hurried down as fast as I could without slipping on the rain slick bars.

Almost as soon as my feet his the ground was I engaged in combat with one of White's men. It took only a second of fighting to realize that it was a familiar. I didn't have time to waste trying to disable the cultist, so I quickly drew my gun again as soon as I was able and fired a shot that sent a bullet throw the tall man's forehead. As he crumpled, I was already running to join Alec and the other transgenics by White's car.

"Jess, what the hell?" Alec yelled at me as I fell into a crouch next to him.

"Sorry, couldn't let you have all the fun." I joked, keeping myself from looking at him and instead focusing on the danger closing in on us from all sides. I was also looking for any sign of Logan's car. He was taking too long. Something must have gone sideways on his end, too, "So, what's the plan?"

"Plan…plan…well…" Alec hedged.

"This is not a fight you're going to win, soldiers."

I stiffened at the sound of Lydecker's voice. It was almost as if I was still in Manticore and this was just another exercise under the colonel's supervision. I glanced quickly at the other transgenics. We had all gone quiet, almost as if awaiting orders. Old habits die hard.

"494, you should get these people out of here while you can. There's no hope for the others now." Lydecker instructed.

I couldn't stop myself from looking at Alec. He'd only been on the outside a little over a year. I wondered if that was enough time to make him less of a soldier when it came to Lydecker.

Alec eye's hardened and his face remained emotionless as he replied, "Sorry, but that's not an option. We're not leaving anyone behind."

Movement nearby attracted my attention and I barely had time to yell at Alec before I instinctively sprang into action. White was starting to get back to his feet. I darted around the still open car door and grabbed White, yanking him down in front of me and pressing my gun tight against his head. I locked gazes with a number of different familiars. They slowed their approach, watching White and I carefully. I dragged White backwards towards Alec and the others. Pain receptors or no, he was still pretty badly wounded. Alec's bullet had ripped through his torso and I was frankly pretty amazed that he was still even conscious.

"What's more important, White: killing us or saving your own sorry ass?" I growled at him.

"Jess…" Alec began when he saw what I'd done.

I ignored him and slowly stood up, dragging White to his feet with me and continuing to use him as a human shield. Every familiar with shooting distance raised their weapons and took aim. I had a feeling that I knew what was more important to White despite the fact that he wasn't answering me.

"Tell them to lower their weapons." I commanded.

"Jess!" Alec hissed, more urgently this time.

"494, you're losing control here." Lydecker commented, almost detachedly, "If you don't get a handle on this, you're going to have a bloodbath on your hands."

I marveled at how Lydecker could provide a commentary to this situation like it didn't affect him. Maybe whatever the familiars had done to him had pushed him off the deep end. But there was no time to think about that. White still hadn't obeyed my command and ordered his men to stand down.

"Damn it, White! Give the order!" I snapped, shaking him viciously without letting the gun leave his temple for even a second.

"Do what she says." White ground out through his teeth, fury evident in his voice.

I watched nervously as the familiars slowly lowered their weapons. All of them except the one at point, the one closest to me.

"I have other orders." he said, "Sorry, White, but the Conclave said not to let you fail them again."

With that he fired. White's blood splattered my face and he slumped in my grip. I couldn't believe this was happening. My plan had blown up in my face and I knew it would only be another second before the familiar fired again and killed me as well before I could even think about raising my arm to fire my own gun. I knew and yet I couldn't seem to move. I'm sure I embodied a deer caught in the headlights. I couldn't even seem to blink my eyes. I could only stare with the utmost intensity at the muscles in the familiars hand as he tightened his finger on the trigger.

"Jess!"

Before a bullet could sear through my flesh, something hard impacted me from the side and knocked me off my feet. I cried out in surprise, twisting as I fell so that I could face whatever had hit me. At the same time, I saw that Logan had finally arrived with the car. But that hardly mattered to me as I saw a dark stain grow on Alec's shirt.


	37. Leaving

**Leaving**

I dropped immediately, falling to Alec's side. A voice in my head that sounded suspiciously like Lydecker was telling me that I should focus on the threat still presented by the familiars before bothering with Alec, but I couldn't help it. I could only notice with half my mind that the familiars had opened fire on Logan's car as it blazed past. His tires exploded, causing him to swerve as he struggled to maintain control of the vehicle, but he hardly slowed. Everyone was shouting. Kira and Krit were back in view on the street, desperately trying to reduce the number of our enemies. All that happened on the periphery of my world. Center stage was occupied by Alec.

He moaned as he tried to move, his breath coming in gasps. I snaked my arms under his shoulders and dragged him as far out of the line of fire as I could, finally settling with him pulled back against my chest and my hands pressed firmly against the wound. I wanted to say something to him, something reassuring, but I couldn't. I was afraid that if I tried to talk, I might lose it.

"Jess." Alec groaned, his voice thick with pain.

"I'm here." I forced out through my teeth.

"Didn't we have a talk about stupid risks?" he asked with a short, strained laugh.

My gut wrenched inside of me. This shouldn't be happening. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

"So…uh…keep an eye on Max for me…" Alec began, but I couldn't let him continue.

"No! Don't you dare say goodbye! Alec, you're not going anywhere! Do you hear me? I won't let you!" I yelled at him, feeling myself come unglued.

Alec shifted slightly so that I could see his face. He smiled sadly, "Jess, I was just shot through the stomach."

"So? I've seen Manticore fix worse." I protested stubbornly, ignoring the hot tears burning down my cheeks.

"You may not have noticed, but we're not in Manticore. We're kind of on the run. No fancy infirmaries and no time to rush me into a hospital." Alec pointed out with an infuriating calm.

"Shut up! You're being overly dramatic. You'll be okay." I insisted.

Suddenly, someone intruded upon my existence, leaning over Alec and pushing my hands aside to see the wound. My head snapped up to glare through my tears at Lydecker.

"613, 494 is critical." Lydecker informed me, "You can't hope to get him out of here without getting gunned down yourself. Leave him."

"I don't take orders from you!" I snapped.

"Jess, do what he says." Alec gritted out, his eyes closing tightly and his face scrunching up in pain, "There's a 50/50 chance that the bullet pierced multiple organs. If it did, I've only got a 66 chance of making it with treatment."

The figures he was hurtling at me felt like punches. Didn't he understand that I had only just found him? He couldn't possibly ask me to leave him here to die. I needed him!

"I don't care, Alec. I don't care."

I had to think of something. Some way to get him out of here. I looked around me and felt like smacking myself for not realizing sooner that I was taking shelter right next to a car. If I could just get Alec into the back seat without getting shot myself, I could probably get him out. I looked quickly to see if Logan had been able to do just that and found that his car had crashed into the checkpoint. Max and Joshua were pulling everyone out while Krit and Kira attempted to provide cover fire.

I glanced in the other direction to see if any help was coming from that way. I caught a brief glimpse of Syl and Mole down the street. They were practically surrounded. They were not going to be of any help.

"Give me your gun." Lydecker ordered.

I glanced at Lydecker. It was obvious he knew what I was about. It wasn't hard to put that together. I wanted to get Alec out of here and there was a car right next to us. But did I trust Lydecker to cover my back while I struggled to get Alec and I out of here? Then again, what other choice did I have?

I quickly handed my gun over and my spare ammo before I started trying to pull Alec towards the back seat. Lydecker quickly took out the familiars that took aim on us. Alec mumbled protests, but I ignored him. He gasped in pain as I heaved him up into the car. I almost apologized, but there was no time for it. The problem was, I still didn't have a plan. I couldn't just jump behind the wheel and speed out of here. What about the others? I couldn't leave them. Alec would never forgive me even if I could somehow manage to forgive myself.

"Auto!" I yelled to one of the transgenics still taking cover nearby, "Get over here! I need you to get him out of here!"

Auto quickly crawled over and slid into the front seat. The keys were missing, but it only took him a second to hotwire the car. I gave Alec one more parting glance and shut the door.

"Drive slow so we can stay behind you." I told Auto as I moved out of the way.

He nodded and began to inch the car forward.

"Syl! Mole!" I yelled, gesturing quickly for them to disengage.

"Working on it!" Syl snapped back.

She pulled the assault rifle out of her opponent's hands and used it like a club, batting back those nearest her until she could use it to clear a path to the car. She nodded to Mole to proceed and then backed rapidly after him. A bullet hit her in the arm before she could eliminate the shooter or rather, before Lydecker could. Unfortunately, as many times as familiars seem to go down with bullet wounds, they seemed to get back up again. It was impossible to keep track of everyone.

I glanced quickly behind us and saw that we were gradually approaching Max and the others at the checkpoint. Then, I glanced in the window of the car at Alec. I couldn't tell if he was conscious or not, or really read too much into the expression on his face through the heavily tinted windows, but my sharp eyes could detect the rise and fall of his breathing. That was enough for now.

As we backed away, my eyes landed on the body of Ames White, lying in the street. Hatred flared up inside of me. Even in death he had managed to hurt me. It was his fault Alec was probably mortally wounded. No, I wasn't going to think that. If I didn't think it, it couldn't be true. A bullet to the brain seemed too good for White.

"Jess!" Max yelled.

I glanced quickly behind me. Max was gesturing for me to leave the cover of the car and run to join her and the others over by Logan's wrecked vehicle. I noticed that only Lydecker, Syl, Mole, an X6, an X8 and myself were still sticking by White's black sedan. I thought about following her orders, but I didn't want to leave Alec. Besides, even if we all made it through the checkpoint, how were we going to stop the familiars from following us?

I signaled to Syl instead to move the X6 and X8. She nodded and, after a moment's hesitation, sprinted with them across the clear to the other car. Shots rang out and before my eyes the X8 crumpled. I wanted to scream at the sight because she was just a kid, but there was no use to it. Besides, I wasn't sure my voice would obey me at the moment. Instead, I caught Max's horrified eyes and signaled to her that this was not going to work. The familiars were just going to gun us down the second we stepped out from behind our cover. We couldn't hide behind cars forever.

As I was signing to her the problem, an idea hit me. Gunfire plus cars might actually equal something that could help us. I quickly communicated to Max my idea. She thought about it for a second before she nodded and turned to the group of soldiers huddled around her.

Auto waved until he caught my attention and asked me what to do. I indicated to him to keep moving, even pick up the pace a little. We had to get beyond the checkpoint and close enough that we could move out from behind this car and over to the others without exposing ourselves.

"Are you sure about this, soldier?" Lydecker asked from beside me.

I barely stopped myself from starting in surprise at his question. It was stupidly hard to nod and defend my plan to him. I hated that he still got to me.

"Well, let's do it, then." he said like it was an order.

And I obeyed like it was, too, but that was okay because in the end it might help Alec. Selfishly, that was all I seemed to care about. I could already sense the guilt that would overwhelm me later, but thanks to years of training I was able to suppress it for the time being.

I signaled to Auto to stop. I knew what I had to do, but I was sorely lacking in the proper equipment to do so. I needed something like a hose. The checkpoint should have a fire extinguisher. That would do.

I darted away from the car, moving as fast as I could and miraculously avoiding the shower of bullets. It took only a moment to pick out the red extinguisher and grab it. I also snatched a half empty coffee pot out of the machine. Taking a deep breath, I ran back. A bullet grazed my shoulder and another clipped my elbow before I fell behind the car again. I ignored the pain and the blood and focused on detaching the black hose from the tank. Once that was accomplished, I dumped out the liquid in the coffee pot, unscrewed the gas cap and did my best to siphon out a good amount of gas. It seemed to take forever, but finally I had a container of gas.

I turned to Mole and Lydecker, handing the extinguisher tank to the tall transgenic, "Get to Max. Give her this."

Mole nodded. Lydecker said nothing. His silence almost bothered me. It was almost like he had told me that I was going to screw this up and we were all going to die. Or maybe that was just something I was already thinking. No time!

I inched as close the proximity of shelter as possible and splashed out some of the gas, aiming it towards the checkpoint I had just left. Satisfied with the distribution in that direction, I slowly moved back and inched around to the front. Moving past the front of the car and towards Max and the others, I looked for Max, to see if she was ready to execute. She was preoccupied with Logan.

"Logan, get to the car!" she yelled at him.

"Max, I'm not leaving you!" he protested.

"Logan, get in the car with Auto, damn it! You're not fast enough!"

I realized in a flash that I could help end this. It had to be done. Every second wasted was a second that Alec didn't have.

"Logan," I interjected, "Please. Stay with Alec for me."

Logan looked at me. He paused and glanced back at Max, but finally nodded. He ran to the car and threw himself in the passenger side. I signaled to Auto to drive and get the hell away from here. He nodded and slammed on the gas. I turned my attention back to my task and dumped out the rest of the gas as I moved over next to Max so that it almost formed a line from the checkpoint to our current position.

"Ready?" Max asked.

I nodded. Everyone ran back away, trying to stay behind the SUV still in the hopes that it would block the familiars sight of us until it was too late. When we had all gotten about twenty feet back, not nearly enough to ensure we'd all have limbs at the end of this, Syl aimed her assault rifle and fired. We kept retreating as the shot left the weapon and sped through the air. It hit the target and a second later, Logan's car erupted. The blast knocked me off my feet for a second and the heat stunned me even from a distance. I tried to ignore it like everything else as I leaped back to my feet. If we just kept running we would eventually hit the woods and safety. I glanced back and saw that the fire from the explosion had ignited the gasoline, making a wall of flame that spread to the buildings bordering the street. Hopefully the fire would prevent the familiars from following us. The fire department would soon be on the scene anyway and I was banking on the fact that they didn't want the exposure that would come with them being found in the vicinity of what was obviously a shoot-out with weapons.

The others were running around me. I couldn't stop to take stock of who all had made it. I was already thinking ahead to what to do next. Because even if we had escaped Seattle, I still had to think of something to save Alec.


	38. Haven

A/N: Sorry about the delay. I was working on my other fic "Welcome to Paradise." Plus, when I started working on this fic again I ran into a pretty terrible spell of my personal life which caused me to almost kill off Alec. Things are getting better now so hopefully I can write Alec out of the predicament I've put him in. I can't make any promises, because this is a WIP and I'm making things up as I go, but I'm trying to help these guys out. Also, your reviews help, too. So, review if you want Alec to live! (God, I'm evil.)

**Haven**

"Jess!"

Someone was calling me. I tore my eyes from the black car I had just caught sight of up ahead and glanced to my right. Kira was near me, her eyes wide with what looked suspiciously like fear. I felt that I should stop and stay with her, but Alec was just up ahead by the trees. So, I gestured for her to follow me and continued until I'd reached the car and opened the door.

"Alec." I gasped, leaning and checking his wound.

It was still bleeding out. This was so bad. I had to do something now! And yet, I was at a loss. I was never meant to take charge. I was just a grunt, made to take orders. I didn't know what to do.

"Kira!" I turned quickly to my friend, "Find Max! Hurry!"

Kira nodded and ran off. Auto was standing on the other side of the car, fidgeting nervously as he awaited further instructions. Logan looked lost.

"Jess, what are you doing?" Alec asked, surprising me with the fact that he was still conscious.

"Max'll know what to do." I told him and myself.

"Jess…" Alec started to protest again, struggling to sit up.

I pushed him back down, "You stubborn ass, stop arguing with me!"

Alec smiled a pained smile at that so I decided it was okay to continue talking to him while I waited for Max and Kira.

"Stop trying to talk me into letting you go. I'm not doing it, damn it! And you're an asshole for trying to make me." I blurted it all out, not caring who heard me, "I love you, you jerk. Don't leave me."

I may have been crying, but it didn't matter if I was. Nothing mattered but Alec. I crawled into the car and knelt next to the seat on the floor. He reached for me, so I leaned over him and let him pull me to him for a kiss. This wasn't a goodbye kiss. It wasn't.

"Jess…"

A voice that, in my current state of mind, I didn't immediately recognize, hesitantly called my name. I took my a moment to pull away from Alec and another to compose myself before I turned to face this new issue.

"What, Logan?"

"Jess, shouldn't we be rushing him to a hospital?" Logan asked, "A doctor could…"

"Logan, we're on the run. We can't just rush a transgenic into the ER." I snapped.

"But he needs…" Logan protested, his face the picture of concern as he looked past her to Alec's prostrate form.

"Logan! Trust me, I know. So unless you have any ideas…please, just don't make this harder."

"People are always fighting over me." Alec commented, trying to be his normal smart aleck self, but failing as he dissolved into a moan of pain.

Logan was silent for a moment, leaving me to turn back to Alec and try to comfort him. I didn't even have any First Aid equipment to help stop the bleeding or give him something to ease the pain. Everything was out of my hands and I felt completely useless. I wondered what the hell was taking Max and Kira so long.

"Actually…" Logan said, making me whip back around towards him, "I might know someone who can help."

I was out of the car and right next to Logan in an instant, "Who?"

Logan jumped back in surprise, but quickly recovered, "Max and I met a woman who lives in a small town outside of Seattle a while back. She's a doctor. I don't know if she'll be able to do much, but…"

"Better than nothing." I finished for him.

"Jess!"

Now it was Max yelling my name.

"How is he?" she demanded as she sprinted to the car.

She didn't wait for my response, but moved into the car and quickly lifted Alec's blood-soaked shirt to see the wound. Alec gasped in pain as cold air hit his skin. Max's looked up at him in concern, but Alec tried to cover it up by raising an eyebrow at her.

"So you wait until I'm injured to try to take my clothes off? You could have just asked, Max." he teased.

"When you're better, I'm gonna kick your ass." Max promised, but her face was sad, like she didn't think that was going to happen.

"Max, Logan says you know a doctor." I interrupted, unable to wait any longer.

Max looked to Logan, apparently unsure of what he was talking about.

"Trudy in Cape Haven." Logan explained, "Maybe she can help."

Max looked back down at Alec, then back at us. She nodded quickly, "Sounds like a plan. Let's get him there."

"What about the rest of us?" Auto piped up.

I glanced around. The transgenics were gathering here, waiting for orders. Obviously, we couldn't all fit in the car and drive to this place. Plus, we didn't want to draw the kind of attention that a large group heading into a town outside of Seattle would attract. We had to split up. I watched Max. She knew it, too. I could tell that she didn't like it. It was obvious she wanted to stick with Alec and make sure he was okay, but judging from the resolved look on her face, she was about to make a tough decision.

"Okay. Jess, you take Alec and Logan and get to Cape Haven. The rest of us are going to move out." she said, looking around at everyone for acknowledgment. Then, she turned back to me, "Jess, keep in touch. I want to know what's happening."

I nodded and moved around to the driver's side.

"Hey!" Max called before I got in. I looked at her questioningly, "Take care of him."

I nodded quickly and got in.

"Max," Logan said, moving towards her.

Max shook her head and backed up a step, "No time, Logan. Help him."

Logan looked hurt. I suspected this might be the last time he'd see her. She couldn't come back to Seattle and he had to head in the opposite direction to help us. There was no way he was going to be able to keep up with her now. And to top it all off, there was no time for goodbyes. Besides, they still couldn't even touch. I felt bad for him and Max, too, but I couldn't wait.

"Logan!" I yelled.

"Go!" Max ordered.

Logan nodded and moved back to the car, getting in the passenger side. I instantly hit the accelerator and prayed that we had enough gas to get wherever we were going.


	39. Trudy

A/N: Sorry about the delay once again. Between school, work, and my other fanfic, I've been leaving you guys hanging. You can throw mental darts at me if you wish. Anyway, my reviewers have spoken and…Alec dies! No, I'm just kidding! Or am I? (You're all going to kill me in my sleep, aren't you?)

**Trudy**

As we pulled up to the small town of Cape Haven, I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose in distaste. The Pulse had hit hard here and, unlike the bigger cities, this place had never really recovered. I imagined this was the kind of place where the mob ruled entirely and the looks that our unfamiliar vehicle was getting from the people on the streets only served to confirm my suspicion. This was most definitely not a vacation spot.

"Just keep going up the street." Logan instructed, "It's up there on the left."

"Hear that, Alec? We're almost there?" I called into the backseat, glancing over my shoulder apprehensively.

Alec had been quiet the whole trip. At first, the bumps in the road had caused him to groan, but after a while, even those noises of pain and discomfort had stopped. I was really getting worried. What I wouldn't give for one of his smartass remarks now!

When Alec didn't make any sign that he had heard me, Logan turned around in his seat to check on him.

"He's out." Logan reported.

I bit my lip, trying desperately to keep it together. He was okay. He was just unconscious. He would wake up, give me that grin of his, and everything would be alright. He was a transgenic after all. We took lickings and bounced back all the time.

"This doctor," I asked instead of thinking any more about Alec's condition, "does she know about us?"

Logan shook his head, "No. Max and I were only here once a while ago. That was Manticore burned down."

"Great." I snapped.

I wasn't mad at Logan, but the last thing we needed to worry about was trying not to blow our cover in a town most likely filled with folk just looking for an excuse to pounce on outsiders. It seemed like we could never catch a break.

I pulled up in front of the place Logan indicated and immediately leaped out of the car. Logan got out of his side and hurried up to the door. I went back to get Alec. The first thing that struck me when I opened up the back door was the blood. The amount of blood was terrifying. He was going to need a transfusion in a hurry. I looped my arms under his shoulders and pulled him back against me. He was heavy, but I might be able to carry him a short distance. Problem was, a girl my size shouldn't be able to carry a guy like Alec. Not a fully-human girl anyway. So, I settled for dragging him as gently as I could until Logan returned with a woman slightly older than him and they both helped me to carry Alec inside.

"How long ago was he shot?" the woman demanded, immediately taking charge of the situation.

"Maybe forty minutes." I replied, feeling strangely unable to focus all of a sudden.

The woman swore under her breath before looking over Alec at Logan, "I'm not really equipped to handle this sort of thing, Logan. Why didn't you take him to a hospital?"

"We didn't have a choice. Just please do what you can for him, Trudy." Logan pleaded as we set Alec on a bed.

"Sage!" Trudy yelled as she checked Alec's pulse. A young boy ran into the room, his eyes widening at the sight before him before a glimmer of recognition passed over his features when he saw Logan, "Sage, I need you to sterilize some things for me, okay?"

The boy nodded quickly.

"There's a blue kit in the cabinet with the dressing. Get it for me and sterilize everything inside." Trudy ordered and Sage immediately took off to do as she said.

Next, Trudy turned to Alec and lifted his dripping shirt to inspect the wound. The skin around the entry wound was extremely pale under all the blood as was Alec's face. I couldn't help but wonder if maybe we were already too late.

"Can you help him?" I asked, unable to bear the suspense.

Trudy's face was set in a determined mask that didn't reveal even a glimmer of hope, "Maybe. I'm not a surgeon or an ER doctor. Do either of you know his blood type?"

"Same as mine." I immediately replied, "I can transfuse him."

"Good." she nodded. She left the room for a moment and returned wearing latex gloves and carrying a pair of scissors, some gauze, and a bottle of clear liquid. She swiftly cut Alec's shirt open and pushed the material out of the way before squirting the liquid onto his skin and clearing the blood away with the gauze.

"It didn't pass through." I blurted, feeling like I should be helping.

She nodded, her focus not leaving Alec's abdomen.

"Can I do anything?" I persisted.

She glanced up at me briefly. Nodding towards the room we had walked through, she said, "In there's all my equipment. Get a transfusion kit and more gauze. Ask Sage where it is."

I nodded and bolted for the next room, barely remembering to hold back my speed. The boy, Sage, was in the room, working quickly as he prepared the tools Trudy would need. I slid to a stop on the tiled floor, glancing about frantically as I tried to locate what I needed.

"Sage, gauze and transfusion kit?" I asked.

The boy pointed at a cabinet to his right and I leaped to open it. Inside I found shelves full of gauze. I grabbed an armful and turned to ask him about the transfusion stuff, but he already had it in hand and placed it atop the bundle in my arms.

"Thanks." I nodded before sprinting back to Alec.

I moved to stand next to Trudy, ready to do anything she asked of me. She barely acknowledged my presence, just reaching over and grabbing a bunch of gauze from my arms and handing it to Logan.

"Keep the blood out of my way, okay?" she said, then looked back at me, "Ever transfused anyone before?"

I nodded quickly. Missions went sideways sometimes.

"Good. Hook yourself up while I do this. He's going to need all the strength you can give him." she said.

Sage entered then, carrying shining metal tools on a sterile tray. He joined us, standing within arm's reach of Trudy, no matter where she moved. Finally, after squirting the area with what I could now tell from the smell was alcohol, she lifted a scalpel and forceps off the tray. I wasn't squeamish, but I had to squeeze my eyes shut against the sight of her cutting into Alec's skin. When I opened them again, she was probing his stomach with the forceps. I tore my attention away and focused on setting the needles in my and Alec's arms. It only took moments to connect us and start the flow of blood from me to him. It took agonizingly longer for the blood to make the journey through the tubing to Alec. I started fidgeting impatiently before I could help it, wishing I could speed things along somehow.

"Alec," I whispered, hoping that somehow he could hear me even in his state, "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Alec didn't stir and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. How could I have let this happen?

I was roused from my anguish by Sage approaching me slowly, a chair held before him. He set it next to Alec's bed for me and I collapsed into it. Unable to face him or anyone else, I buried my face in my arms next to Alec's form. No one said anything, but after a moment I stiffened at the feel of a hand on my arm. I knew it was Sage offering me comfort and I appreciated more than I could say, but I couldn't acknowledge it or express any of that gratitude at the moment. After another moment, he removed his hand and I felt him back away. I didn't care. I tried not to let my body shake with the sobs I felt.

"Got it." Trudy finally said and a second later I heard the plink of something metal contacting with another metal surface.

I didn't dare look up, but my heart leaped a little at this small victory. At least the offending bullet was out of his body. That had to be something, right?

Many minutes later, I felt a change in the room that was followed once again by Trudy's voice, "Alright. Now we just have to wait and see if he responds. I don't have the equipment to do anything else."

I felt someone coming to stand next to me.

"Jess, how are you doing?" Logan asked, quietly.

"I'm fine." I mumbled without moving, "Just leave me with him."

Logan didn't reply, but he did as I said and moved away from me. I heard the sounds of people moving equipment and then the room became quiet. I reached one of my hands out to Alec's wrist, placing my fingers across his pulse. The rhythmic throbbing I felt there eased my nerves a little. I settled in, determined to give him as much blood as he needed even if it drained my whole body. After awhile though, I began to feel drowsy, transgenic or no. At the first sign that I was nodding off, I started to panic, afraid that if I fell asleep something bad would happen and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. But as my eyes felt heavier, Alec's pulse reassured me. I kept my hand on his wrist and surrendered to the darkness.


	40. Miss me?

A/N: Man, I seem to be constantly apologizing to you guys for taking so long with these chapters. I promise that I always have good excuses, but I won't trouble you all with my personal problems. Anyway, my reviewer's have spoken and here is that chapter that you all have been waiting for. I hope you like it and that it lives up to your expectations. Thanks also to polka.dot.pineapple for prodding me to get this done. It's thanks to her that you guys got this chapter today and not next week.

**Miss me?**

"Who are they, Logan?"

My self-preservation instinct roused me from my sleep even though I still felt pretty out of it. I registered the words, but didn't move. I also panicked for a fraction of a second before Alec's pulse thumped against my fingers. It felt stronger, which made my heart leap a little inside my chest.

"They're friends, Trudy." Logan evaded, sounding frankly too obvious about the fact that he was being evasive.

"You have a lot of friends who get in gun fights, Logan? What are you doing here? I haven't seen or heard from you or Max since…well, since you were last here. And I haven't even mentioned the fact that the last time I saw you, you were stuck in a wheelchair, but now here you are walking around. Something is going on that you're not telling me and if whatever it is brings more trouble down on me and Sage…"

"Trudy!" Logan interrupted and I got this terrible feeling that he might tell her the truth, "I know that there's a lot to explain."

"So start talking." Trudy ordered.

"Trudy, I can't." Logan insisted, "It's better that you don't know. Just take me at my word, these are good people who really needed your help. You were the only person I could think of that would be able to do anything for them. I wouldn't have come here if I thought there was another way."

I held my breath, waiting to see how much this woman trusted Logan. Apparently he had made quite an impression on her because she sighed, "Okay. Just don't make a habit of this. Sage and I have enough problems of our own."

"Is it still bad here?" Logan asked gently.

I tuned out the response. As self-centered as it might be, I could only seem to muster enough energy to focus on the things that concerned me. Trudy's problems with her less-than-friendly neighbors was not something I could concentrate on at the moment.

Without opening my eyes, I moved my hand slightly from Alec's wrist to take his hand in mine. It was a stupid gesture, but it felt appropriate somehow.

"I did what I could, Alec. It's up to you now." I whispered to him.

His fingers tightened slightly around mine and my eyes flew open. I lifted my head, feeling the stiffness in my neck from sleeping at such an angle. It took a moment for me to feel like I had any strength in my muscles at all and lifting my head caused a wave of dizziness, but none of that mattered because Alec's eyes were open and he was looking at me. He smiled weakly at me and I felt like I was going to cry again. I couldn't even form words. I just sort of squealed with happiness, a sound I had never ever made before, and threw myself at his chest. I had the presence of mind to avoid his stomach and to ease the impact, but I still moved faster than I'd thought I was capable to hug him.

"Oh, my God." I mumbled incoherently into his shoulder.

"Miss me?" Alec teased, his voice raspier than normal.

I was about to tell him to shut up and let me enjoy the moment, but the sound of his voice teasing me was almost as great as seeing him awake. Some part of me had resigned myself to never hearing that voice again and it was so good to be proved wrong.

"God, I was so worried…" I gasped in air, realizing that I was forgetting to breathe. I took a deep breath and tried again, knowing that no matter what I said, I would never be able to express the emotions overwhelming me, "Never do that to me again!"

I pulled away and glared at him so that he would know how much I meant that. He smiled at me again, though, and I melted, hugging him again.

Someone's hands gently, but firmly pulled me away and I almost lashed out before I realized it was Trudy. Reluctantly, I let her push me aside so that she could see Alec.

"You shouldn't be awake yet." she said almost accusingly.

Alec gently shrugged his shoulders, careful not to move too much, "I'm a quick healer."

Trudy mumbled something, but even with transgenic hearing I couldn't catch it. She checked Alec's pulse, then pulled the covers away from his body that someone must have pulled over him while I was asleep. It surprised me that I had slept through that. Then, I realized that somehow I had also slept through someone removing the needles from Alec's arm as well as my own. A transfusion had never drained me so much before, but I had also never given quite so much blood or been quite so emotional before either. Still, it was troubling to know I had been so vulnerable.

I mentally shoved those thoughts aside and focused on Alec's injury. It still looked pretty terrible and the skin around the wound was still unnaturally pale compared to Alec's normal tan, but I still felt that it was going to be okay now. Somehow Alec must have been lucky and no internal organs had been damaged. Or maybe they had just been bruised or grazed and the surplus of transgenic blood was repairing the damage. It didn't really matter as long as the result was Alec alive and well. I would gladly accept a guardian angel theory at this point. I was on an emotional high.

"Don't move." Trudy warned, apparently seeing whatever she needed to see, "This is going to take awhile no matter how fast you heal."

"Yes, ma'am." Alec nodded, sounding only slightly sarcastic.

"Logan?" I asked, seeing him hovering in the background.

"Yeah, Jess?" he asked, moving forward quickly, ready to respond to my request.

"Would you call Max for me?" I asked.

I could do it myself, but I didn't want to leave Alec's side. Besides, Logan was already nodding and pulling out his phone to call her. I turned my attention back to Alec, my favorite and least favorite transgenic all rolled into one.

"How do you feel?" I asked him, calming down a little from my initial reaction.

Alec paused as if mentally checking to see how his body was doing, "Like absolute shit."

I smiled slightly, "Good. You deserve to feel like shit after what you put me through."

"What?" Alec demanded incredulously, "I get shot and nearly die, but I deserve to feel like hell?"

"Yep." I nodded, "Especially after all that crap you were spouting about leaving you behind and giving up on you. Talk like that again and I'll kick your ass."

"God, you sure are stubborn." Alec commented casually as if it was a scientific observation.

He ruined the effect of the statement, though, by yawning the last word. Concern returned as I noticed that while some color had returned to his face, his eyes still had large bags under them. He was still exhausted and he needed to sleep if he wanted to recover.

"Alec, go back to sleep." I ordered.

"But I just woke up." he protested, but he yawned again, hardening my resolve that he needed to sleep.

"Go to sleep." I repeated, but this time gentler, raising a hand to brush aside some of his hair that had fallen at a weird angle across his forehead.

"Alright." he relented, relaxing into the bed a little more, "You staying with me?"

"I'm not going anywhere." I confirmed.

"Good." he muttered, letting his eyes close again.

He sighed and in moments was asleep again. I wondered how long it would take him to get better. Sure, he was a transgenic, but even transgenics don't just get up and walk away from these types of things. It would take awhile before his strength returned and longer before he was completely back to normal. I didn't want to rush him, but we couldn't stay here long. Trudy, for all that she was helping and I owed her so much for that, didn't want us here. That was the problem. No one wanted us. Not anywhere. So we had to keep moving.

I wished briefly that Kira was with me. It would be so much easier to relax and focus on helping Alec if I knew that she was here to watch our backs and take care of the things that I couldn't get to. But she was with Max and Krit and the others. Alec and I were going to be on our own for awhile. So, it was up to me to keep an eye on him. We had to leave soon, but I had to make sure that he didn't overdo it. Knowing Alec, he would come to the same conclusion as me about getting out of here and would insist that he was okay enough to do so in no time.

Someone entered the room again. I turned my head and saw Sage approaching, carrying a cup of clear liquid and some food. He handed it to me silently and I smiled my thanks to him. I hadn't noticed, but I was hungry and thirsty.

"How is he?" Sage asked, surprising me with his voice.

I realized at that moment that I hadn't heard him speak before. I wondered what had happened to the kid to make him so quiet, but didn't feel nosy enough to ask. I had secrets, too, after all.

I nodded slowly, "I don't know. I think maybe he'll be okay, though."

Sage nodded and retreated. I decided he was a nice kid. I reflected on the silent support he'd offered me while Trudy worked on Alec. Sage didn't seem to care who we were or where we were from, he just seemed to want to help. Too bad more people weren't like him.

Looking back at Alec, I finished off the water and the sandwich Sage had brought and then tried to make myself comfortable for another long wait. My muscles protested against the lack of movement, but I ignored them. I was going to be there when Alec woke up again and that's all there was to it.


	41. Twotiming

**Two-Timing**

I was mentally forming and discarding numerous different plans about what to do from here when Alec stirred again. I hadn't wanted to disturb him because he needed sleep so badly, but I was actually very glad when he woke up again because I was going a little stir crazy waiting for him.

"Hey, sleeping beauty." I grinned at him.

He made a face at me because we both knew that he wasn't at his most appealing at the moment. Rubbing at his face with one hand, then passing it through his hair, he slowly blinked his way into full consciousness.

"Feel any better?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe." Alec said, his voice sounding even raspier than before.

"Wait here. I'll be right back." I told him, getting up to track down some water for him.

I still had my cup from earlier, so I grabbed it and filled it up in the sink I found in the next room. No one seemed to be in the immediate vicinity, but I didn't bother to look for them. With a full cup of water I returned to my perch at Alec's bedside.

"Thanks." he said when I handed the water to him.

He pushed himself up slightly on the bed, wincing at the movement and making me wince at his obvious pain. Then, he downed the whole cup of water in one long swallow.

"Want more?" I asked.

"In a minute." he said, handing the cup back to me, "I'm trying to put off having to pee."

"Good call." I observed with a slightly raised eyebrow that caused him to glare at me.

"So, where are we?" Alec asked, changing the subject.

"Cape Haven, a small town outside the city. Logan knew a doctor here who could help you." I explained.

"I'm guessing that would be the ray of sunshine that glared at me for healing too well." Alec surmised.

I barely restrained myself from punching him in the arm. It was such a natural response that it was hard to stop. I settled instead for chastising him verbally, "Be nice to her. We owe her. If not for her…"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll be good." Alec promised. He brightened a little, "So, I've been shot in the gut twice this month. Think I'll win a medal? Transgenic purple heart?"

"Fat chance. And stop catching bullets with your stomach." I snapped a little more harshly than I'd intended.

He could only be this lucky so many times. Sooner or later, he was…well, I wasn't thinking about that.

"And miss the chance to have you nurse me back to health?" Alec replied with a wink, not letting my tone phase him.

I was internally grateful that he let that slide. If there was one thing I didn't want to deal with at the moment it was my fear of losing him. Best to just ignore it and hope that it never came up again.

"So, where do we meet up with Max?" Alec asked.

"Hey, not so fast. You're in no shape for travel, soldier." I informed him, "We're not going anywhere until I'm sure you're okay."

"Well, I hope you've got a plan for keeping my entertained 'cause I get bored real easy and I don't see a TV in this room." Alec said, his eyes roaming around the room.

I moved to sit next to him on the bed, perching precariously on the edge because I didn't want to disturb him any and cause him pain. I smiled innocently at him.

"Well, that's where the sedatives come in."

Alec glanced over at me skeptically, "You wouldn't."

"I might. If you got really annoying."

"Me? Annoying?"

"You know, that innocent act doesn't work on me. I know you too well."

"Well, it was worth a shot." Alec surrendered with a grin.

God, I loved that grin. And infuriatingly enough, I was sure that Alec knew how much I loved it, too. I might deny it entirely, but Alec's tricks did work on me. In fact, I was already leaning in to kiss him before I even realized it. I almost stopped in surprise at myself, but I realized in that instant that I hadn't kissed him since before all of this madness had started. It felt like it had been an eternity as I leaned in and gently pressed my lips to his.

"About time I got a kiss." Alec mumbled as I pulled away, "The things I have to do for outward displays of affection."

"Why do I bother with you?" I mused out loud.

"Because I rock your world." Alec replied instantly.

"You might if you didn't still smell a little like sewers." I shot back, wrinkling my nose and waving my hand in front of my face.

"And yet you still can't stay away from me. That's how hot I am." Alec answer, not phased in the slightest.

I was about to say something else to try and deflate his ego, but I heard footsteps approaching and the soft whir that accompanied Logan's every movement. A few moments later, he appeared in the doorway.

"Hey." he said, hesitating to move any further into the room without an invitation.

"Hey, Logan. How's it going?" Alec asked with more enthusiasm than anyone who's recently been shot should ever even attempt.

"I take it you're feeling better." Logan said, sounding a little annoyed.

I wasn't sure what Logan's problem could possibly be. It was almost like he was mad at Alec about something. I stiffened a little as Logan took a step forward and stopped again. Everything in his body language did indicate that he was angry about something.

"What's up, Logie?" Alec asked, obviously sensing the same thing that I was.

"Does Max know about you two?" Logan demanded through clenched teeth.

I barely restrained myself from saying, 'oh, shit.' I'd completely forgotten that Alec was supposed to be Max's boyfriend in order to keep Logan at a safe distance. I'd been way too concerned with Alec's welfare to think about that. Apparently talking with Max on the phone had brought the supposed relationship back to the fore of Logan's mind however.

"Uh…busted?" Alec offered, looking uncomfortably cornered.

There really wasn't a good way out of this one for him. He could admit the truth to Logan and get him angry about the lie and Max angry that he had ratted her out or he could make Logan even more pissed that he had two-timed his old girlfriend. I tried to minimize my own part in any of this by slowly sliding off the bed and standing back a little.

"I tried to warn her." Logan growled, "I knew you weren't good enough for her."

I bit my tongue to keep from leaping to Alec's defense. Alec had a resigned look on his face now, like he was ready to take whatever abuse Logan wanted to dish out. I guess he wasn't ready to ruin Max's lie.

"How could you do this to her? At a time like this!" Logan yelled.

"What's going on in there?" Trudy called, attracted by the yelling.

Logan bit his tongue before he could say more, his eyes smoldering at Alec. Alec calmly met his gaze, betraying nothing. I wondered whether it would be possible to move Alec sooner than I'd planned.

"What's all the yelling?" Trudy asked, appearing behind Logan.

"Nothing." Logan snapped, pushing past her and tromping off.

A few seconds later, the sound of a door slamming rang through the house.

"What was that all about?" Trudy asked again, looking back the way Logan had gone.

"Like the man said, nothing, doc. But I think we're going to have to get moving again. What do you say we get me up and moving?" Alec asked, his voice betraying none of the tension he must be feeling.

"That's not funny." Trudy said, scowling at her patient.

"That's 'cause I wasn't joking. We've gotta move. So do what you've gotta do." Alec said levelly.

"Look, you heal fast. Very fast. But if you try to do too much now, you will end up dead. I'm not exaggerating." Trudy said, staring him down.

"Alec," I jumped in before he could argue any more, "I'll take care of this."

I moved to go track down Logan, but Alec grabbed my arm, "No, you won't. Leave it."

"Alec, you can't even stand. Just let me calm him down so that we can stay until you can move." I insisted.

Alec was about to reply, but he cut himself off. He cocked his head to the side like maybe he heard something. I concentrated and picked up the sound that had attracted his attention. It sounded like angry people approaching outside. Generally not a good sound if you're a transgenic on the run.

"Okay, he's right. We've gotta bail." I said quickly, looking to Trudy to somehow make that happen.

"What? What's going on?" Trudy demanded, obviously still oblivious to what was unfolding outside.

I was about to make up an excuse, but Alec beat me to the punch, "Go look out the window, doc."

Trudy followed Alec's instructions and I looked over her shoulder. Outside was a crowd of angry looking town people, a number of them carrying weapons. They were yelling something about "trannies." I could also hear Logan yelling back, trying to placate them, but it didn't seem like he was succeeding.

"Shit." I swore, wondering how the heck I was going to get Alec out of this one.


	42. Irony

A/N: I'm sorry again about the darn delays in updating. I will sheepishly admit that I kind of forgot that I was writing this story. I know, I know, I'm a bad person. I personally place the blame on my teachers for assigning my nine papers to write before the end of the semester. Good news is that I have an idea for an end to this that I will hopefully be able to reach in a few more chapters. It won't be Disney, but it will hopefully meet with your approval. Until then, read and review. It helps to remind me to keep writing.

**Irony**

"Trudy! Get your ass out here!" a deep voice bellowed above the rest of the noise outside.

Trudy looked from me to Alec, then slowly headed for the door. I immediately sprang forward to stop her.

"Trudy, don't go out there."

"Why not?" Trudy asked slowly, eyeing me with growing suspicion.

I could tell that she was starting to wonder what was going on. I figured she probably had some idea already. She wasn't stupid. But I had to tread carefully now in order to keep her from buying into any of the crap her friends and neighbors outside were spewing. I didn't move any closer to her, carefully keeping my hands open and in plain sight at my sides, only moving very slowly so that she wouldn't think I was trying to pull anything.

"Trudy, you need to know something." I began, trying to impress upon her my sincerity and the desperation of the situation, "I know you have some idea of who we are. We tried to keep you in the dark for your own safety, but it looks like the cat is out of the bag anyway. Alec and I…we're transgenics."

I paused, letting the information sink in and measuring her reaction. She backed up a step, watching me carefully like she wasn't sure what I'd do. It was always one thing to suspect something about someone and another thing entirely to hear them admit it.

"I don't know what you've heard or what you believe, but we're good people, Trudy. You did the right thing here. You saved a man's life. Don't let these idiots take it back." I continued.

"Yeah, I kind of enjoy living." Alec added and I glared at him for being unhelpful.

Trudy opened and closed her mouth a few times, like she was trying to say something, but before she managed to get anything out, Sage entered the room.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly.

His eyes were wide with fear.

I realized that I was standing between Trudy and Sage, so I stepped aside and she immediately ran over to him. She hugged him to her, looking over his head at Alec and I, then glancing towards the front door.

"Trudy, I'm really sorry that we involved you in this." I said sincerely, looking at Sage, "I don't know anything about you or what you've been through, but I know you don't need our problems. Please, just help me get Alec stable enough to move and we'll be out of your hair."

"I'm fine." Alec protested from behind me, but Trudy and I both ignored him.

Trudy stared at me, looked me straight in the eye, judging my sincerity. I didn't move, didn't blink. Nothing more I could say or do would sway her decision; either she would help us or she wouldn't now that she knew straight up who and what we were.

"You'll need fluids." she said finally, "And more bandages, alcohol, gauze. Sage, go get me as much as you can carry."

Trudy released Sage and he glanced around at the occupants of the room in confusion before hurrying off to do as he was told.

"Logan," Trudy asked after another long pause, "is he…?"

Alec scoffed and I shot him another glare before shaking my head, "No, he's just a friend of a friend."

"Max?" Trudy asked, her eyes widening in surprise again.

I didn't say anything, which was an obvious admission. It was pretty clear that whatever Trudy's connection to Max was, she'd had no idea that Max was anything other than a normal girl.

"Max did a lot for Sage." the stunned doctor revealed, "She was a stranger here, but she helped Sage. Even when I didn't want her to."

"She's got a knack for sticking her nose in places." Alec agreed.

"Thank you, Trudy." I said, glancing at Alec pointedly and emphasizing my words.

You would think he would know to thank the woman saving his life rather than insulting Max, but apparently Alec couldn't pass on any opportunity for a smart remark.

Trudy nodded in reply, "I'll get Alec, you go get Logan."

I nodded, quickly moving over to Alec's bed and leaning close to him. I whispered, "Don't piss her off."

Alec grinned at me as I straightened, "Me?"

I gave him a knowing look. He wasn't fooling anyone. Feeling somewhat satisfied that I had impressed upon Alec the importance of being nice to anyone crazy enough to help us, I turned and headed for the front door.

I could hear Logan yelling before I even reached the door. Opening it and stepping outside, I moved quietly over to his side.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Logan was protesting as I approached.

"We know you've got trannies in there!" a bulky man in a flannel shirt standing in the front brandishing a shotgun argued, "For all we know, you could be one of them! Weren't you in a wheelchair last time you came through here?"

"I told you, I'm wearing a prosthetic that lets me walk." Logan said, clearly becoming very frustrated.

"We don't shelter trannies here!" someone in the back yelled.

A chorus of agreements followed with added shouts of "Humans only!" and "Go back where you came from!"

"Logan," I said quietly, but urgently to get his attention, "Trudy's getting Alec set to be moved. We're leaving."

"You think they'll let you leave?" Logan asked, eyeing the angry crowd and their weapons.

"We're not hurting anyone and it's what they want." I answered with a shrug.

"Who's she?" someone demanded.

"She's one of them!" another declared.

The guy in flannel lifted his shot gun and took aim at me. I held up my hands and froze on the spot, surprised that they were so quick to jump to conclusions. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Logan cried.

"You human, sweetheart?" the guy with the gun demanded.

I couldn't help myself. Alec must have been getting to me because I smiled and replied, "Define human."

The mob erupted, but the man with the shotgun pointed at me didn't move. Eventually, the others took their cue from him and quieted, watching to see what he would do.

"What made you think your kind is welcome here?" he growled.

"Well, not the welcome wagon, that's for sure." I responded, wondering what was wrong with me and why I was channeling Alec all of a sudden. I shook my head, snapping out of it, "We didn't have a choice. We're not staying."

"Damn right." he nodded.

"Should have known Trudy was a trannie-lover." someone commented, catching my attention. It suddenly occurred to me that even after Alec and I were gone, Trudy would have to deal with the repercussions of associating with us. That could possibly be as bad as being a transgenic herself.

"Trudy has nothing to do with us." I announced loudly, "I forced her to help."

Flannel-guy tightened his grip on the shotgun, taking better aim, "You let her go."

An idea popped into my head. I didn't like the pretense, but I didn't see any other options, "I will. You let us leave town in one piece and I will."

I could feel Logan looking at me, probably surprised at me for claiming to be holding Trudy hostage, but there was no time to argue the particulars with him.

"How do I know we can trust you?" Mr. Gun Happy asked, eyes narrowing.

"Hey, you're the one with the gun." I reminded him.

He paused, thinking it over and everyone grew quiet, waiting for his reply. I glanced at Logan and saw that he was shaking his head, like he didn't care for any of this. I didn't either, but obviously his attempts to reason with them hadn't been going anywhere. His lack of support was kind of infuriating. Did he think I wanted to perpetuate the stereotype they had of transgenics? I clamped down on my anger for the moment, though. I could be angry with Logan later. I needed a clear head at the moment. We were nowhere even near out of the woods yet.

"You leave now." the man with the gun finally declared.

I nodded, "You got it…but I'll need a few gallons of gas."

The force of the glares directing at me was starting to make me feel like an insect under a magnifying glass on a sunny day. It took all my years of Manticore training to keep still.

"Joe, bring some gas." the order was finally given.

"But…" a guy in a green trucker hat began to protest.

"Now!"

Joe grumbled, but separated himself from the crowd to go get some gas. Everyone seemed to be starting to grumble. Apparently they weren't too happy with the arrangement, but there was nothing I could do about that.

"Okay with you if I go in and help them, big guy?" I asked, getting really tired of staring down at the barrel of a shotgun pointed at my chest.

"You stay right here where I can see you." he replied, moving slowly up the stairs onto the porch. He nodded towards Logan, "He really a normal person?"

"Normal as they come." I nodded.

"Then, he can go in. If no one comes out by the time Joe gets that car of yours filled up, we're going to have a problem."

"Got it." I affirmed, "Logan, go help Trudy."

Logan hesitated, but went back inside. Keeping my hands up, I slowly lowered myself onto the porch, sitting cross-legged. The shotgun followed my movements.

"You tell the rest of you abominations that Cape Haven is off limits." the face behind the weapon drawled.

"Don't worry. You won't see another transgenic anywhere near here." I assured him.

At the moment, I felt ready to get as far away from any Ordinaries as possible. With a few rare exceptions, they all seemed much too ready to exterminate us, erase us like some kind of mistake. Considering it was them that made us and that we never asked to be made in the first place, it was getting old really fast. For as much as I hated Manticore and everything it stood for, I found myself strangely nostalgic for the open acceptance it provided. I suppose that's what they call irony. It sucks.


	43. In the Rearview

A/N: Surprise! I'm not dead! I don't know why, but this fanfic just got back in my head again. I think it's because I'm still pining for Alec. Damn Dark Angel for creating such an irresistible character and damn Supernatural for not letting Jensen grow his hair out like Alec again.

**In the Rearview**

I was still sitting cross-legged on the porch, pretending not to notice the shotgun aimed resolutely at me as I picked lint off my pants. I tried to appear nonchalant as my senses overloaded, trying to take in as much as possible. I covertly kept an eye on every one of the volatile townspeople around me while simultaneously listening intently to what was going on inside. I could hear Alec arguing with Trudy about whether or not they should put him on a stretcher to move him and fought the urge to run in there and smack him. Then, I heard footsteps approaching me from inside. The subtle whir of machinery that accompanied the footfalls told me it was Logan before he ever reached the front door.

Convincing Logan to stay in Cape Haven rather than tag along with Alec and I as we tracked down Max was proving harder than convincing Alec that he was injured and should act as such.

"Logan!" I finally snapped, keeping my voice low because we were still surrounded by hillbillies with weapons just looking for an excuse to use them, "You need to let go!"

Logan froze where he stood. He looked stunned, like he couldn't believe what I'd just said. I was a little surprised myself. I generally liked to keep my head down and stay out of other people's business, but in this case it had just slipped out. And now that it was said, I knew it was true. He was holding on so tight, he was bound to either get hurt, lose her, or both. Max needed some room to maneuver right now. We all did.

I watched Logan carefully for his reaction, mentally preparing further arguments. No matter how true my statement may have been, it was still not likely to be received well. So, I was a little surprised when Logan's response came in the form of quiet resignation rather than an incensed shout.

"You're right." he sighed.

I barely stopped myself from asking 'what?'. Instead, I backed down, nodding silently. I returned the majority of my attention to our audience, my babysitter and the increasingly impatient townspeople. Logan turned to head back inside and help Trudy.

"Logan." I called softly, stopping him.

He paused, turning slightly back towards me, but not looking at me.

"Thank you."

Logan nodded in acknowledgement. I mentally told myself to make sure to tell Max to call him as soon as things settled down enough. He was a good man, really, for all his aggravating attributes.

Just then, the man that had been sent to get the gas for our car, Joe, jogged back to the group and pushed his way to the front.

"It's ready to go, Rob." Joe reported to my new friend with the shotgun.

Rob nodded, then looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. I glanced back over my shoulder.

"Hey, guys! Time to go!" I yelled back at the house.

"Coming! One second!" Trudy yelled back.

I almost fidgeted openly as I waited for them, knowing that the longer they took, the more likely it was that Rob would get tired of waiting and open fire. I could tell by the way he readjusted his grip on the weapon, shifted his weight, narrowed his eyes at my form. I stood absolutely still, watching him with extreme intensity, looking for that twitch of muscle that would give me an infinitesimal warning that he was going to fire.

The door banging open behind me made me jump. I frowned, embarrassed at my reaction, and spun around. Logan exited first, holding the door open. Next came Alec being pushed in a wheelchair by Trudy. Sage followed, carrying medical supplies in his arms. The situation got heated again with these new arrivals. The crowd began yelling all over again, shaking their fists and waving weapons. I slowly moved closer to Alec, partly to protect him and partly to keep him from trying to do anything stupid.

I was honestly surprised by the beefy hand that suddenly latched onto my arm and yanked me away from Alec. I almost reacted instinctively before I felt the nose of the rifle poking me in the back. Glancing over my shoulder, I crossed gazes with Rob, who'd pulled me in front of him. He released his hold on me quickly, apparently sensing the danger, and returned to holding the shotgun with both hands. Jabbing me in the back, he prodded me forward.

"Hey!" I protested, "I'm going!"

"Shut up." Rob growled, "Hands where I can see them."

With a sigh, I held my hands up and allowed him to push me away from the porch and toward the mob. I kept half of my attention on Rob and the swarm of enemies surrounding me and the other half on Alec and the others following behind us. I'd be damned if I let one of those crazy hillbillies try to take out an already injured transgenic.

"You know, pal, you should probably make these people clear a path." I suggested.

"I said shut up." Rob snapped, jabbing me with the gun again. He paused, then yelled, "Out of the way! Move it! Damn it, get back!"

Slowly, the crowd edged back, revealing our car. Escape was so close I could taste it and yet I couldn't allow myself to be hopeful yet. Not with my luck.

I stopped when we reached the car, determined to wait until Alec was secured. Rob seemed to sense this, as well, gesturing at Trudy and Logan to hurry up.

Logan took the supplies from Sage and moved around the car to throw them on the floor in the back. Trudy pushed Alec up next to me and opened the back door, preparing to move him as gently as possible into the car. Sage remained somewhere behind me, out of my line of vision.

Rob moved quick, grabbing Trudy and yanking her back behind him without allowing his hold on the gun to waver. Alec moved to stand, but when he did so, his face drained of color and he fell back into the wheelchair. I instinctively moved to help him, taking a step towards him.

"Hold it!" Rob yelled.

I stopped, hands clenching at my side. I slowly raised them again, forcing myself to unclench my fists. I should have seen this coming. Slowly, I turned around. If this idiot was going to shoot me, he was going to have to look me in the eye while he did it.

"You're not playing by the rules, Robbie." I accused, keeping my voice at a normal level and my tone calm.

"We don't take kindly to you freaks invading our town and holding our doc hostage." Rob snapped in reply.

The crowd shouted its approval.

"Nobody has to get hurt here. We just want to leave." I continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"Somebody has to teach you freaks a lesson!" Rob shouted.

Again, the mob cheered.

I frowned. This was not going well. I stepped an inch closer to Rob so that the shotgun pressed into my chest. I lowered my voice a little so that he'd know I was just talking to him.

"Listen to me. You're in charge here. You need to think carefully about this. Do you really think that killing two people in cold blood is the best thing to do? Sure you get rid of us. Sure you send a message to 'our kind.' But what happens if they decide they're not going to stand for it. Do you really want to put this town through a blood feud with genetically engineered killing machines?" I paused, hoping this was sinking in, "You need to set an example here. Let us go. We got the message, loud and clear. Transgenics not welcome in Cape Haven. We'll spread the word."

I watched Rob carefully, not allowing myself to hope that he would listen to me. Actually, I wasn't feeling anything. It was almost like this was a training exercise and not a life and death situation.

"Get in the car."

I blinked.

"Get in the car and get the hell out of here." Rob repeated, more forcefully.

My brained snapped back into gear and I leaped back into motion, turning to Alec. I awkwardly maneuvered him into the car and he was mercifully silent, probably prevented from commenting by the pain of the movement. Once Alec was safely in the car, I closed the door and turned back to Rob. I nodded to him, giving him silent acknowledgment that he was doing the right thing, before hurrying to get into the driver's seat. The people had all moved back from the car, so there was a clear path out of town. I paused only long enough to shoot a thankful glance towards Logan, Trudy and Sage before gunning it out of town.


	44. After

A/N: So this chapter's been a long time coming, I know. Thanks to Halcyon Impulsion for making me get my butt in gear and work on this again. Hopefully the next chapter won't take a year (although reviews definitely make the work go faster).

**After**

"So that was kind of hot." Alec commented a few minutes later as I put more and more distance between us and Cape Haven.

I snorted in disbelief. Glancing into the rearview, I saw that he was carefully positioning himself into a sitting position. I worried that he was overdoing it, pushing himself too hard, but decided to let it go for the moment.

"Seriously." Alec insisted, "That was CO quality work back there."

That comment took me by surprise and took a moment to register. Nothing I'd ever done had been considered CO quality. Nothing ever. I felt stupidly like grinning.

"Someone had to do something." I tried to shrug it off.

"Well, good job with that."

I kept my eyes focused on the road, trying to keep from blushing. The silence stretched to a few minutes before Alec spoke again.

"So…on the lam…just you and me." he grumbled under his breath, "Stupid gunshot wound."

I glanced into the rearview again, keeping my expression cool, "Yeah, too bad."

Alec's eyes widened at my response and he swore under his breath some more. I smiled to myself, knowing that if ever there was a sure way to drive Alec crazy, it was to immobilize him around a willing female.

I leaned over and messed with the radio until I found a station that was more music than static, knowing that silence on top of everything would have Alec crawling up the walls soon. Settling in for the long drive, I was relieved to find Alec asleep after not too long. The more he slept, the faster he'd heal. Plus, it would give me some time to think about what to do next without having to worry about Alec seeing the thoughts brewing in my mind flash across my features and ask me about it.

I headed south. Canada didn't seem like Max's style, so I figured she'd head the opposite direction. We didn't see much along the back roads I traversed. In fact, it wasn't until the next day that Alec and I entered a town. I stopped at a hotel, helped Alec into the room, then went for food. I stopped at a payphone along the way and placed a call to Max.

"230411547613." I rattled off into the phone.

"Jess!" Max exclaimed, "How is he?"

"He's okay, I think. We had to move again before he should have been moved, but you know, Alec. He keeps insisting that he's fine."

"Idiot." Max grumbled, relief clear in her voice despite her words.

I smiled slightly at her response, "Yeah. Look, Max. I…uh…I kind of screwed up your cover with Logan. He saw me and Alec… Anyway, he thinks Alec's cheating on you."

Max paused before she responded, "That's okay, Jess. I'll deal with Logan. Where are you guys?"

"Some place in the middle of nowhere in Oregon. What about you?"

"Outside San Francisco."

"Is Kira…?" I began to ask, worry swelling up inside me.

"We're all fine. You just worry about you two, okay? Stay put if you can until Alec's better. Just keep in touch."

"Got it." I nodded, accepting Max's words as my new orders.

"Be careful." Max said in parting.

"Always." I replied and hung up.

Shortly after, I headed back to the hotel, arms laden with some greasy bags filled with diner food. I'd considered trying to get some soup for Alec, but decided that it would have been more trouble than it was worth to get him to eat it. Besides, he'd want the protein to help rebuild the muscle tissue the bullet had ripped through.

Carefully balancing the food and drinks, I unlocked the door and pushed it open. My eyes swept the outside before I closed the door after me, making sure that I hadn't been followed. You can't be too careful when you're trying to lay low. I'd had lots of practice with that.

Steam seeped out from under the bathroom door and I could hear the shower running. I didn't blame Alec for wanting a nice hot shower. I'd hopped in practically as soon as we'd gotten in the room.

"Alec! I've got food!" I called, unloading my burden on the end table.

I paused, cocking my head, listening for a response. For a moment all I heard was the running water, but then I detected a small sound that had my blurring towards the bathroom door. I heard a low moan, barely loud enough for me to hear. I hesitated for only a fraction of a second at the door, throwing my shoulder into it so that it swung open and banged against the wall. Steam billowed around me, making it hard for me to see for a second before it cleared. The floor was all wet, the shower curtain partially pulled down, and Alec was sprawled awkwardly in the tub with the water still beating down on him. I rushed to his side, quickly shutting the water off and grabbing a towel to wrap him up in.

"Alec!" I exclaimed as I pulled him up gently into a sitting position and pulled the towel around him, "What happened?"

Alec's eyes opened a little and he groaned again. He winced a little and his mouth quirked as if he was embarrassed before he muttered, "Slipped."

I couldn't help the giddy laugh that escaped me as relief washed over me.

"Moron." I grumbled as I maneuvered him back to his feet and out of the shower.

He'd removed his bandages for his shower and I quickly inspected his abdomen. He was still badly bruised from the wound and the hasty surgery, a few of his stitches had been pulled free, and the wound was bleeding a little, but on the whole he didn't seem to have done too much damage.

"Guess you'd better shower with me from now on, huh?" Alec managed between hisses of pain as I guided him towards the bed.

"If I hadn't just spend the past few days saving your ass, I'd kill you." I threatened and deposited him on the mattress, "Now don't move until I get you bandaged up again."

"So you're into bondage? Kinky." Alec teased.

"I said bandage, not bondage, you idiot." I retorted as I dug out some of the supplies from Trudy and carried them back to the bed to drop onto the sheet next to Alec, "And I'm starting to think you slipped on purpose."

"Yeah, on purpose. Let's go with that story." Alec agreed quickly.

I smiled, head bent over my task of fixing up his wound. My smile faded into a frown as I picked up some suture and a needle. My eyes flicked up to Alec's before I swiftly replaced the stitches he'd pulled out. Alec didn't make a sound the whole time, which was a clear indicator that it had hurt. When Alec stopped moaning and groaning is when things were serious.

I tied off the new stitches and bandaged up the wound securely. As soon as I was done I gave Alec a pat on the leg to let him know it was over.

"Thanks." Alec said, scooting back up the bed a little as I put the rest of the medical supplies away.

"You're welcome." I replied, returning to sit next to him, "Be more careful."

"Deal." Alec nodded, snagging my arm and pulling me down towards him.

I sank down and his other arm pulled me even closer as it wrapped around my back.

"So, you…me…seedy motel room…no Kira around…" Alec grinned.

"Seriously one track mind." I chided him.

"Hey, we're on the run, I'm injured, and we're probably going to be stuck here for a little bit until I convince you that I'm fit for travel. We've got to do something to pass the time." Alec answered, his eyes wide with mock innocence.

"How about sleep? You've had one hell of a week." I suggested, but only half-heartedly.

I was suddenly very aware of the fact that Alec was just barely covered by a towel and that he was still kind of damp from the shower. My hands were suddenly on his bare chest and my brow furrowed as I tried to remember how they'd gotten there.

"oh, I'll sleep." Alec agreed, his face just a breath from mine, "After."

With that his lips found mine, coaxing me to forget about his injuries, forget about my almost paranoid caution, forget about everything but him. One of Alec's hands fisted in my hair, while the other skimmed across my lower back, just under my shirt. His warm hand against my cool skin made me shiver.

"Alec." I gasped.

Alec responded by reclaiming my mouth with renewed fervor. His hands began pulling at my clothes and soon I was lost in a world of sensation. Being on the lam had never been quite this good before and somehow I had the feeling that I wasn't going to mind spending the next few days in this backwoods town.


	45. Like a Mate

**Like a Mate**

I woke up later feeling more secure than I had any right to feel while on the run from a government agency made up of selectively bred freaks out to kill us. Alec's arm was draped across my waist, holding me possessively against his chest. I liked the feeling and the fact that he was doing it in his sleep (I could tell by his slow and even breathing) made me smile. Carefully, I rolled over under his arm, trying not to wake him up. I wanted to watch him sleep for a minute, to enjoy the peaceful look on his face that I'd never see while he was awake.

I placed my hand against his chest softly, over his heart so I could feel the strong beats. My mind replayed how close I'd been to losing him and I had to fight to suppress the tears that gathered in my eyes at the memory. It was weird to think that I was here now, lying in bed with him, after everything that had happened. It was almost surreal. Me, the Manticore screw-up, had somehow fallen in love with 494 and had been lucky enough to find that the feeling was returned. It was hard to believe even while I was laying next to him.

Alec's breathing changed subtly and I knew he was waking up. I smiled as he stirred a little and his eyes blinked open.

"Hey." I said softly.

"Mmmm." he mumbled in reply, still not conscious enough to form words.

He tightened his arm around me as he stretched his other limbs and I took the opportunity to press a kiss to his shoulder.

"Time to get up, sleepy." I urged him.

"'m gettin' 'p." Alec mumbled, trying to push himself up and failing, "Why 'm gettin' 'p 'gain?"

"'Cause it's morning?" I offered, amused by his half-awake actions.

"Nnnnhnnn." Alec denied, shaking his head.

"Yeah, baby." I nodded, putting my hands on his cheeks to stop him from shaking his head any more. It took a moment to realize that I had just called him 'baby.'

Alec, too, seemed to notice the nickname even through his sleep-induced haze. He suddenly seemed more awake as he leaned in and pressed a kiss against my lips.

"Call me that more often." he breathed against my ear as he pulled away, the warmth of his breath tickling my earlobe.

I could only nod in response and force down the lump that had suddenly appeared in my throat. God, the way he made me feel…he was like the opposite of Manticore; they had tried so hard to make me feel nothing and he could make me feel so much with just a look. I almost felt like I'd burst from the sheer magnitude of it all, but at the same time it was a delicious sort of strain.

Alec kissed me again quickly before he cautiously sat up. I watched his face for any indication of pain, but there was nothing. Of course, Alec was good at hiding pain, but I still hoped that meant he was getting better. I hopped to my feet anyway so I could get him some clothes, grabbing Alec's discarded towel from the night before and pulling it around me.

"Thanks." Alec grunted as I threw a pair of jeans, boxers, and a turtleneck in his direction.

"No problem." I said, sending him a grin over my shoulder as I collected some clothing for myself and began dressing, "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Sore, but stronger." Alec answered honestly, his hand running lightly over his bandage.

I nodded, accepting his assessment.

"So, did you call Max?" Alec asked as he pulled the shirt on and swung his legs over the edge of the bed to work on his boxers and pants.

"Yep. She said you're an idiot." I replied.

Alec rolled his eyes, "I'll bet she did. Everybody okay?"

"Uh huh. They're outside San Francisco, but don't get any ideas. She ordered me to stay put until you're better." I told him, leveling him with an even stare.

Alec's eyes glinted mischievously back at me, "I think there may be ways for you to convince me to stick around."

I raised my eyebrows at him and he flashed me an innocent smile in reply. I admitted defeat silently by letting a smile creep onto my face, "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

"Good plan." Alec agreed, standing up and sliding on his shoes.

I followed suit and soon we were headed out the door. Alec didn't bother to tie his shoes and shook his head when I looked at them pointedly. I shrugged. He was an X5. It wasn't like he was going to trip.

As we left the hotel and walked quietly down the street to find some food, I thought a little bit about Alec and I. We hadn't really discussed what the label for our current relationship was, but I could feel inside me that it was something heavy, something serious. The idea of Alec as my boyfriend was just too casual; it sounded like a joke. No, he was more like…like a mate.

That thought took me a little by surprise. My head snapped up and my eyes cut to Alec. The desire to tell him my thoughts flared up, but I suppressed it. It would be too much like I was pressuring him and I liked how things were at the moment.

Alec shot me a questioning look in response to my sudden movement. I smiled at him rather than say anything, channeling my strong feelings into my affection for him and keeping a firm hold on the warm happiness that he'd given me in return.

"You look beautiful right now." Alec commented.

I immediately froze and reached for my hair, thinking it must be messed up somehow, like it was that morning in the woods when Alec had given me that same compliment. Alec caught my hands, smiling at my actions.

"No," he said, eyes bright as he looked at me, "I mean, 'cause you're smiling like that."

I thought over his compliment for a second and realized that maybe there was something to it. I couldn't remember ever being happy, genuinely happy like this, before. Sure there'd been some good moments, but never anything like this and never with the prospect of a future.

"Hey, is that the place you got the burgers from?" Alec asked, pointing up the street at the diner.

"Yeah, why?" I nodded.

"They were great! Let's go there." Alec said.

I shrugged, "Okay."

Alec and I entered the diner to the jingle of bells that were tied to the door handle. All eyes in the establishment turned to look at us. They didn't seem as upset by our presence as the people of Cape Haven had been. They must be used to people passing through here. No, this time the attention seemed to be more of casual interest than wariness. A sign near the door said to seat ourselves, so we both instinctively headed for a strategic position against the wall where the exit and the majority of the room was clearly visible. Neither of us said anything about our ingrained seating decision, but I knew we were both aware of it. Right now, our training could only help with keeping our heads down and staying out of trouble.

A young waitress approached, smiling shyly at Alec the whole time she took our order. When Alec flashed her one of his smiles back, she turned bright red and beat a hasty retreat. I kicked him under the table.

"What?" Alec asked innocently.

"You're shameless." I accused.

"What do I have to be ashamed of?" Alec challenged in return, raising an eyebrow and leaning back into his side of the booth.

My eyes drifted down his form, or what was visible above the tabletop anyway, almost without my knowledge. No, there certainly wasn't anything there not to like. Still, Alec was far from needing any reassurance and with that thought my eyes shot back up to his face. His was smirking at me.

"See something you like?" Alec taunted, tacking on a wink.

I made a disgusted face at him, "I don't know how I stand you."

"I do." Alec retorted, leering at me.

I leaned forward with my arms down on the table, "I'm gonna hit you."

Alec leaned forward in response, putting our faces close together. He didn't seem at all daunted by my threat.

"Kinky." he replied before leaning closer to capture my lips in a kiss.

I melted into his kiss, almost sighing into it at the tender passion. He pulled back slowly and I blinked at him as I tried to remember what I'd been doing before he'd kissed me. Damn him! He was definitely fighting dirty.

I almost jumped when someone cleared their throat next to me. The waitress was standing next to our table with our drinks, still a little red in the cheeks, but now also sending me a look like she wouldn't mind dragging me out of my seat and taking my place. Embarrassed, I looked down at the table as she placed our drinks in front of us and then walked away with a promise to be back soon with our food. Alec's chuckle brought my eyes back up.

"I can't believe an X5 blushes." he said softly so no one else would hear.

"I'm not!" I protested, ignoring the burning in my cheeks that said different.

"Oh, you so are." Alec persisted, his emotive facing shining with amusement, "Don't worry. I like it."

I chose to take a sip of my drink rather than reply. So I wasn't used to public displays of affection? It wasn't like I'd had a lot of practice. I could hardly be held responsible for an involuntary response to something Alec had initiated. If anyone should be embarrassed, it should be him. I mentally snorted at that thought. Yeah, right. Alec was as about as self-confident as they come. In fact, Alec would probably just come back with something like…

"Maybe I'm just not used to kissing you in public. Guess I need more practice." I boldly voiced my thought to him, setting my drink back down.

Alec's grin widened, obviously pleased to meet that challenge. I suddenly realized that this was kind of like a date. A really, really great date. In fact, it was pretty much perfect. Sure my date was injured and we were on the run, but those things were fairly ordinary for an X5.

A ridiculous thought ran through my mind. I was on a sort of date with a sort of mate. It even rhymed. So, I guess it must be true that being in love was like being under the influence. And my drug of choice was reclining across from me giving me a look that said his injuries weren't about to get in the way of a repeat performance of last night's activities.

A moment later our food arrived. Yeah, despite everything, life was good.


	46. A Heist

_A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, guys. You really have given me a reason to keep this story going. I'm so glad that you're even reading this, much less enjoying it. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to make this even better._

_**A Heist**_

_Alec and I spent most of the next five days in our hotel room. While we found ways to keep ourselves entertained, after five days, we were both getting a little stir crazy. I'd been monitoring Alec closely. He was definitely stronger. The bruises on his ribs were mere shadows now and the wound looked like he'd received it a couple months ago rather than a week. It was time to move on._

_Alec and I went for a stroll around the town that night and I decided to stop by a payphone to call Max. I wanted to update her on our movements and get a current fix on their location before we hit the road. Alec raised his eyebrows at me when I picked up the phone. He'd been bothering me about moving on, but I'd been arguing against it. I hadn't told him that I'd changed my mind. He deserved not to know after being such a pain in the butt._

"_230411547613." I said into the phone._

"_Hey, Jess!" Max greeted warmly, "Is everything okay?"_

"_Is that Max?" Alec demanded, "Let me talk to her!"_

_I pushed him away with my foot and turned my back to him, "Everything's fine. I was just thinking we should start moving again. Where are you guys?"_

"_Come on, Jess." Alec whined, trying to steal the phone again._

"_We're in L.A." Max answered, "It's a big town. I think we can lay low here for awhile."_

"_Southern California." I nodded, "Yeah, there's a lot of places to hide there."_

"_Max!" Alec yelled over my shoulder._

"_Just give the idiot the phone." Max sighed into the phone and I could hear her hiding a smile._

_Alec smirked, obviously having overheard Max. I glared at him and slapped the phone into his outstretched hand._

"_Maxie!" Alex drawled happily into the phone, "Did you miss me?"_

"_If you piss Jess off, I'm going to break your arm." Max replied._

"_Oh, you did!" Alec teased, not phased in the slightest._

_I rolled my eyes at him. He was lucky Max didn't like guns or I suspected he was going to get shot again._

"_So, Max," Alec continued, "this whole going to ground thing has kind of done a number on my lawful employment."_

_Max took a moment to reply, "Pick some bad guys, will you?"_

_Alec's grin widened, "You bet."_

"_Seriously, Alec, how are you?" Max pressed, her tone taking on a level of seriousness._

"_You know me, Max." Alec replied._

"_Say you're always alright and I'll kill you." Max growled._

"_Then I won't say it." Alec answered, a sort of small bitter-suite smile on his face now. He shook it off quickly, "Well, Max, I've got to go and work out some tension with Jess now before we catch up with you and you let loose all that pent-up aggression on the back of my skull. Talk to you later, okay?"_

"_Alec!" Max yelled, but was cut short by Alec hanging up the phone._

"_You probably shouldn't have hung up on her." I informed him as he turned to me._

_Alec made an unconcerned noise coupled with a careless shrug. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into him, kissing me quickly._

"_You didn't tell me we're leaving town." he accused._

"_Oh, what's the matter? Not ready to go?" I teased._

"_If I didn't like you so much, I'd leave your ass." Alec replied, punctuating his statement with a sharp pinch to my behind._

_I slugged him in the shoulder in response, turning and leading the way back to our hotel. We didn't have much to pack. We could be on the road within the hour. We actually hit the highway in about twenty minutes. Alec couldn't wait to get out of town and he was already rattling off ideas for a heist as soon as we hit the next big town. Plus, I let him drive. He was like a kid on Christmas morning (at least in the movies). It was nice to see him so upbeat. In fact, I was quite happy to just sit back and watch him babble as the scenery blurred by._

_After about an hour, Alec paused and glanced at me._

"_You okay?" he asked, "You're kind of quiet."_

"_Comparatively." I replied with a teasing smile, "I'm fine. I'm just listening to you."_

"_Really?" Alec asked, looking genuinely surprised, "What was I saying?"_

_I rolled my eyes, "Oh, something about trying to figure out what to steal since you're out of range for your usual fences."_

"_Oh, yeah, that's right." Alec nodded in remembrance, "Wow, you really were listening to me. I don't think anyone's listened to me since Manticore."_

_I offered him a sympathetic look, "Ah, Alec, I'm sure that's just because they had to, what with you being the C.O. and all."_

_Alec glared at me, "You're so funny. Besides, this is a real problem. We can't steal anything too hard to get rid of since I won't know anyone. Maybe we can break into some jerk's safe, grab some cash or something…"_

_My mind wandered to the heist as Alec continued to theorize about it. I'd never actually performed a heist before. Missions for Manticore, sure. Robbery, of course, but most of things I'd stolen before had been wallets. A straight up heist would be exciting. Sure, we'd been designed to be soldiers, but they'd made us perfect for cat burglary._

_I leaned forward and fiddled with the radio dials, searching swiftly through the static. I finally found a relatively clear station. It was just talk and not music like I'd been hoping for, but since most radio stations had disappeared after the Pulse, I was lucky to even find one. I leaned back to listen, but soon found myself frowning at the conversation._

"…_everybody's problem now. We're asking for a sort of Neighborhood Watch. Stay vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to the police. Do not attempt to deal with these things on your own."_

"_Fifty bucks says I know who they're talking about." Alec commented, glancing over at me._

"_Guess they're aware of our going to ground plan."_

"_Well, we'll just have to make extra sure we don't get made on this job, huh?" _

_I nodded silently. I was a little surprised he still wanted to pull this heist, but I guess it made sense. We needed cash or we'd have to keep stealing and squatting, which would only attract more attention._

_So, when Alec and I arrived in Salem, we began exploring the nice part of town even before we bothered to find a place to spend the night. The only problem was that the car was dangerously low on gas and I was almost broke._

"_Hey, check out that place." Alec said, drawing my attention away from the gas gauge._

_I slowed the car and looked out the window. Alec and I had switched when we'd entered town so that Alec could focus on the surroundings without worrying about driving. The place he'd pointed out was a three-story mansion surrounded by an immaculate lawn and a high, spiked fence. It was bordered by forest at the end of a street of expensive properties, making it more secluded than the others, but I could see cameras, security guards and dogs from here._

"_Aren't you ambitious." I commented doubtfully._

"_Oh, come on. We can totally run that place. All that security just means they're over-confident." Alec replied, "Circle the block."_

"_Alright, but when we run out of gas, you're pushing the car."_

_Alec ignored me, his eyes glued on the target house. I divided my attention between the traffic and the house, as well. Whoever owned the place certainly had money and probably wasn't afraid to keep valuables on the premises with all the obvious security. My mind ran through possible points of entry, but I decided to defer to Alec on this. He was the expert after all._

_Four hours later, stuck in a closet with Alec and no room to move, I was starting to doubt his expertise. Alec shifted, shoving me further into the closet door. I growled in annoyance and shoved him back._

"_Hey!" Alec hissed into my ear._

"_Shut up!" I hissed back, "I told you there was too much security."_

"_There is not. We've just got to wait for the guards to finish their rounds." Alec paused, "Why does this seem familiar?"_

"_You ass!" I snapped, furious that he's probably been in this same situation before and hasn't learned anything. I dropped my heel on his foot to punctuate my feelings._

"_Ow!" Alec yelped._

"_Shhh!" I exclaimed, whirling around as quickly as possible in the tight quarters and clamping my hand over his mouth._

_When I was satisfied that he wasn't going to whine too loudly, I lowered my hand. Alec stared at me silently for a moment._

"_Wanna make out?" he asked._

_Apparently he really didn't understand the need for silence. I rolled my eyes at him and attempted to turn back around. I was supposed to be listening for the guards, not trying to keep Alec in line._

"_No?" Alec asked, sounding puzzled at my refusal._

_I would have elbowed him if I didn't think it would cause him to make more noise. I leaned against the door, laying my ear against the wood to hear the noises out in the hallway. I ignored Alec who was pretending that the lack of space was forcing him into contact with my behind. Moron._

"_I don't hear anything." I reported._

"_Are you sure? Maybe we should wait a few more minutes." Alec muttered, snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me back against him._

_Granted, the adrenaline from the heist made my blood, and I'm sure his as well, race through my veins, but this was obviously not the place. I turned my head towards his, meeting him for a kiss. I pulled away slowly._

"_Pull this off and we'll talk." I whispered, "Now, let's go."_

_I pulled free of Alec's arms and gently opened the door. Peeking up and down the hallway, I cautiously stepped back out of the closet. Unfortunately, since this was kind of spur of the moment, we didn't know where anything was inside this place, so we had to explore. Alec had figured that the first floor would be used more for entertaining and wouldn't be a very likely place for a stash. That left the second or the third. The second floor was a good place for an office or a study where more private business meetings might take place. If it were me, the real private, personal stuff would be on the third floor. Alec and I had made it to the second floor before security sweeps had caught up with us, forcing us to dive into the closet to avoid detection._

_Alec moved past me to take the lead down the hall. We wanted to make it up to the third floor, but there was no sense in not checking this one while we were here. Alec listened carefully at each door before opening them while I kept watch in the hallway. We moved quickly, knowing that in a house of this size, servants would be wandering around. We finally made the stairwell and were about to head up when someone started coming down. Alec quickly grabbed me and pulled me under the stairs with him. We crouched down silently, waiting anxiously to see what happened._

_The person on the stairs descended and moved into the hallway. Judging from the clothes and the importance of his walk, he must be the owner of the house. Alec and I both held our breaths as he watched him move towards a door in the hall, pause and glance back towards the stairs. Almost an eternity later, he finally opened the door and moved inside, closing the door behind him._

_Alec and I leaped back into action, nearly blurring up the stairs. If we were right about the organization of the house, there was less of a chance of meeting servants up here. The owner wouldn't want a lot of people around his valuables. We were pretty safe now until we hit the stash and tried to get out again. But for the moment, the priority was finding that stash. Alec and I split up to search faster, checking rooms rapidly. I paused when I came to a door with a keypad lock on the outside._

"_Jackpot." I breathed to myself. I glanced over my shoulder, "Alec."_

_Alec was instantly at my side, inspecting the lock. After a minute or so, he gave me a grin and a thumbs-up before he began messing with the controls. I moved back down the hall to make sure no one came up the stairs while he worked._

"_Got it." Alec said, drawing me back to him after a few more minutes._

_The door was slightly ajar now. Alec touched it, pushing it open some more. Alec and I both stared at the contents of the room and Alec whistled._

_Inside the room, were paintings that I'm sure were worth more than the car we drove here, jewels in glass cases, memorabilia that meant nothing to mean but I'm sure were worth a lot on the black market, and just what we'd been hoping for, a safe. I moved to step into the room, but Alec grabbed me and pulled me back._

"_A guy this paranoid's going to have alarms." he pointed out._

_I squinted at the room, my eyes adjusting to pick up the lights, allowing me to just faintly see the laser beams crisscrossing the room, "Okay, so now what?"_

_Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be the rearview mirror from the car. I watched as he carefully leaned forward, extending the mirror to catch a laser beam at what appeared to be an exact 45 degree angle._

"_Feeling limber?" Alec asked with a raised eyebrow._

_I nodded, a grin creeping onto my face at the challenge. This heist stuff was becoming addicting._

_Entering through the hole Alec had created, I twisted and ducked and eased my way further into the room. I found that once past the doorway, the laser beams were a lot more sparse. Guess they figured it wasn't too likely someone would make it even this far._

_After some minor contortions, I reached the safe. I glanced back at Alec, realizing now that I'd made it here that maybe I should have let Alec do this. I'd never cracked a safe before. Sure, we'd learned about it in theory in Manticore, but I'd never been on a mission that required actually putting it into practice._

_Alec immediately read the look on my face, "You'll be fine. Just listen to it."_

_I nodded, turning back to the safe and leaning my ear against the cool metal. There were three dials on the safe and from what Manticore had taught us, three numbers for each was standard. The only thing that confused me a little was that the numbered dials seemed pretty old school, but the LCD screen next to them was completely modern. There was more to this safe than met the eye._

_Well, there was nothing for it but to just try. I started moving the first dial slowly. I heard the first click, paused a moment, then spun the dial back the other way. After a few more moments, I found the other two numbers and heard a more resolute click indicating that I was right about their being three numbers. I started on the next dial and was two numbers in when the LCD screen beeped and flashed the words "Timed Out." I swore under my breath and started again. So that was it. The safe was timed. And I was sure that if I timed out too many times, the alarm would sound. Luckily Manticore scientists had designed us with a photographic memory and I breezed through the numbers I'd already found. The last number on the second dial only took a few seconds longer to locate. Now, I just had to get the last dial._

_This dial turned slower which was really frustrating given that I was working on a time limit. I only got one number before the safe timed out again. Now the screen flashed "Final Warning." Great._

"_How's it going?" Alec asked impatiently._

_I just growled in response, staying focused on the task at hand. I got down to the last number and I could feel the last remaining seconds ticking away as I quickly spun the dial. Based on the previous attempt, I knew I only had about three seconds left to get this. Now two. Now one…got it!_

"_Yes!" I breathed in relief as the safe door unlocked._

_I inched over to where the safe was slightly open, careful not to open it much further in case I set off a laser beam._

"_Well?" Alec pressed._

"_Oh, you're going to be so happy." I replied, peaking around the safe door to send him a grin._

"_Really? How much?" Alec asked excitedly._

_I reached in and grabbed handfuls of bound hundreds, waving them at Alec. The grin on his face and the gleam in his eyes said he was just as happy as I thought he'd be. I stuffed as much cash as I could in my pockets before closing and relocking the safe and carefully exiting the room. Alec pulled the mirror out as soon as I was back in the hall._

"_Alright, let's go." Alec said._

"_Not so fast."_

_Alec and I both froze, the unfamiliar voice coupled with the sound of a gun being caulked enough to get both of our attention._

"_Turn around." the man with the gun ordered, "Slowly."_

_Alec and I both complied, holding our hands up for good measure. The man with the gun turned out to be the home owner. My gaze slid sideways to catch Alec's. Without speaking a word, we both agreed on what to do. A moment later, Alec was racing towards the homeowner, just as he was opening his mouth to say something else to us. Before he could react, Alec had his gun and was placing a blow to the man's temple to knock him unconscious. It dropped him, but the man was still moving a little and groaning. Alec frowned and hit him again. Unfortunately, Alec must not have knocked him out before he had time to trip the alarm somehow. The next thing we knew, a loud alarm was sounding throughout the building._

"_Shit!" Alec exclaimed, "We need to get out now!"_

"_We're on the third floor!" I reminded him, thinking of the guards and the dogs._

"_No choice. Come on." Alec said, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the hall._

_We ran past the other doors in the hallway towards the window at the end. I knew exactly where this was going and I wasn't particularly fond of this exit strategy. Oh, well._

_Alec barreled into the window shoulder first, shattering the glass. I was only a second after him as we both dived through. I could already hear guards yelling from the third floor as we fell towards the lawn._

_Alec and I hit the ground running. We were about halfway to the fence when I caught sight of the dogs. I don't know if it was the Manticore upbringing or the cat DNA, but I'd rather deal with armed guards than dogs. _

_Sweat stained my PT shirt as I ran breathlessly. Being punished with extra PT was one thing, but having Lydecker order dogs released on you in order to teach you to run faster or face some serious consequences was a new level of hell. Especially since I was fairly certain that no matter how fast or how long I ran, Lydecker was not going to call them off._

I shook my head even as I ran for the fence to try and shake that memory. The last thing I needed right now was to think about that. Alec was already at the fence line, leaping to safety. I struggled to keep up my speed. At top speed, an X5 was much too fast for a dog, but I wasn't positive I could maintain it. I forced myself not to look over my shoulder for the dogs and instead kept my eyes on the fence. I could hear Alec yelling for me.

A bullet flew past me just as I reached the fence, startling me at its proximity. A second bullet ricocheted off the fence in that moment of hesitation.

"Jess!" Alec yelled, "Jump, damn it!"

I stopped thinking and instantly obeyed. My hesitation cost me some momentum, making me catch my foot on the fence as I tried to clear it. I still landed on my feet, but awkwardly, stumbling forward into Alec who was waiting anxiously for me. He steadied me, his eyes quickly sweeping over me, checking for injuries, before he pulled me back into motion. Just because we were on the outside of the fence didn't mean we were safe yet. Alec and I headed quickly into the trees.


	47. Cat Up A Tree

A/N: Well, here you are, my lovely reviewers, another chapter, albeit a shorter one. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Cat Up A Tree**

After moving continuously for about an hour after leaving the scene of the crime, I was limping pretty badly. That botched leap over the fence had aggravated some of the weaker muscles in my leg. It would be fine with a little rest, but that didn't seem to be an option just yet. After the display of abilities we'd provided while trying to escape, the homeowner and the guards were sure to know that they'd been dealing with transgenic. They would undoubtedly have alerted the local police who may have already called a CAT team. The last thing we needed was to face those guys on our own. I could see all these worries in Alec's eyes even if he wasn't expressing any emotion on his face so I did my best to keep up, keeping my pain to myself.

Suddenly, Alec whirled around, eyes narrowing as he looked at my leg. I tried to stop moving as soon as he turned, but it was pretty obvious that he'd finally realized my situation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"Not important." I replied, shaking my head, "Let's keep moving."

"No." Alec refused.

He looked around and suddenly began grinning. I had no idea what he was thinking, but I did not like it. I immediately began shaking my head again, "No. Whatever you're about to say, no."

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Alec teased, moving close to me and raising a hand to cup my cheek. He gave me his puppy-dog look and his hand on my cheek ensured that I couldn't look away, "Please."

"Ass." I swore, annoyed that he could manipulate me so easily. I sighed, "What?"

Alec's gaze broke from mine and I followed his line of sight as he turned his head to look up at the nearby trees. I was confused for a moment before I realized what he was thinking.

"Alec!" I exclaimed.

"No, seriously." Alec insisted, "You sit tight in the tree and I'll scout around and see where we are. That way I'll know you're safe and I can cover a lot more ground."

"Alec, I'm not a…" I clamped my mouth shut before that last word could escape.

"Cat?" Alec asked, eyebrows raised and eyes gleaming at me as he finished my sentence anyway, "Sorry, babe, but I've got some news for you."

"Oh, forget it. Give me a boost."

I limped over to the most comfortable looking tree, then glanced over my shoulder for Alec. He stepped up behind me, so I turned back to the tree, raising my arms in order to catch the branch overhead. I lifted one leg, expecting Alec to grab my leg and throw me up. Alec, though, being Alec, grabbed my ass instead.

"Alec." I warned.

"Oh, sorry." Alec said as if his hands had slipped or something.

He grabbed my leg and I jumped at the same time as he threw me. I flew upwards, easily reaching the large branch above me. I latched on, then pulled my weight up onto it. I used that branch as a step up to a slightly higher one. As soon as I was satisfied with my perch, I glanced back down at Alec.

"I like the view." Alec called up.

"When my leg stops hurting, I'm going to kick your ass." I threatened.

Alec just grinned back at me, tacking on a wink before he turned and ran off into the woods. I sighed and settled back against the tree trunk. I still had the money in my pockets and we could always steal another car, but we were going to have to make it out of these woods without getting caught first. I turned over the situation in my mind. Actually, these woods were probably a good place for us to be right now. They would expect us to try and make a quick getaway. They wouldn't expect us to be stranded out here in a tree. I certainly hadn't expected it. Maybe we'd be able to get out of the city easier this way. Maybe they'd think we were already gone by the time we were sneaking out.

I flexed my leg and stretched it out on the branch. The forest was quiet, the birds sleeping by now. I could hear other animal noises, but nothing unusual. They would probably search the woods, but I didn't think they'd go very far in. I allowed my eyes to drift closed, confident that any unusual noises would wake me up again. It was surprisingly easy to drop to sleep. All that Manticore training had engrained the ability to get rest whenever possible into all of us.

Not long after I'd closed my eyes, they flew open again. I didn't move, waiting until I discovered what woke me up to risk movement. A noise drifted through the woods: footsteps. So, the search into the woods had started. I listened closely, judging the distance. In about ten more minutes, they'd reach my location if they kept a constant speed. I kept still and waited for them to come.

Suddenly, I heard some leaves move very nearby. I stiffened, my head snapping around to face the noise, ready for anything. Despite that, I was still surprised to see Alec's face peering at me through the branches. I restrained myself from making any noise, instead using hand signals to tell him about the approaching enemy. He nodded back, letting me know he'd heard them, too. We both froze, eyes fixed on the ground below our perches as the footsteps got closer.

The beams of flashlights pierced the gloom preceding the searching team. There were five of them together, all heavily armed. They moved silently and efficiently, covering the area like a grid. My guess would be that these guys were probably ex-military, enticed into the rich homeowner's personal security by the lure of a fat paycheck. At least, I hoped that was the case and that a CAT team would need more time to get here.

I didn't even dare to breath as the team moved directly beneath me. I mentally urged them not to look up. They were about to move past me when one of their radios screeched, causing them to pause. The man with the radio answered the call, reporting that they'd found nothing and receiving a similar report from the other end. Orders came back to sweep another hundred yards, then return to base. The team acknowledged the orders and moved on. When their footsteps faded to almost out of hearing range, Alec dropped out of his tree and moved under mine. He held up his arms like he was going to catch me, which seemed a little silly to me. I ignored him and dropped carefully back to the ground, favoring my injured leg on the landing. Alec dropped his arms and sent me an annoyed glare, before gesturing for me to follow him.

We stayed silent as we trekked through the woods, keeping behind the team looking for us. After a little while, Alec pulled me aside and we took to the trees again just in time to avoid the guards returning. Once they were past us again, we started moving again. I felt much more relieved now that we'd avoided their search. I was pretty sure we'd be okay for the rest of the night now.

Alec led the way again and not too much later I found that he had found a cave. Alec bowed extravagantly and gestured for me to enter first. I rolled my eyes at him and strode in. The cave wasn't very deep, but it was dark and secure. Not a bad place to spend the night, all things considered.

"Well, what do you think?" Alec asked, coming up behind me.

I glanced back at him. I could tell he was expecting some scathing remark. I thought about what he probably thought I'd say. We should have just stayed in the car. This was all his fault. What was he thinking? I shook my head, dispelling those negative comments. Technically, we'd pulled off the heist even if it hadn't gone quite as well as we might have hoped.

I turned to face Alec, making sure to catch his eyes before offering him a smile. I reached into one of my pockets and pulled out a large stack of cash, "Ever slept on a pile of cash?"

Alec just stared at me uncomprehendingly for a moment before his eyes lit up and he swept me up in a tight embrace. His sudden outward expression of emotion was surprising and I may have made a startled noise. Regardless, Alec pulled back to look at me, his eyes still sparkling with happiness in a way that made my heart ache. I leaned towards him, wanting to kiss him, but he stopped me before our lips could meet.

"I've never slept with a beautiful girl on a pile of cash either." he said in a husky whisper.

My eyes widened in surprise and I was about to protest that he was crazy, but it was hard to get the words out past Alec's lips on mine. His hands found my pockets and he slowly pulled out all the money I'd quickly stashed all through my clothing. The cash slowly accumulated on the floor around us.

"Damn it, Alec." I mumbled against his cheek.

"Hmmm?" Alec questioned, the rumble of it almost a purr.

"It's not fair." I protested as he pushed my jacket off my shoulders.

"What's not?" Alec responded, hands moving down to pull at the hem of my shirt.

"The way you can do this to me." I explained, lifting my arms so that he could pull my shirt over my head. I shook my head, honestly amazed at how thoroughly he'd infiltrated my life, "You've got me, baby."

Alec grinned at me.

"Good." he said, then kissed me softly. He was still grinning when he pulled away, "You called me 'baby' again."

I nodded slowly, a smile pulling at my lips. The look Alec was giving me was making me think that maybe he wasn't the only one doing the influencing here. I mused for a second before I decided to go ahead and push the envelope, silently hoping I didn't end up sounding stupid.

"Come on, baby. You've had a long day. Don't you think it's time you were in bed?" I asked, kicking off my shoes and easing down onto the ground amidst the stolen money.

Alec laughed in reply, "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I definitely like it."

He quickly pulled off his black turtle neck, dropping it on the ground next to me discarded clothes. His shoes joined mine, followed by his cargo pants. I shivered as a cool wind blew into the cave, but Alec soon joined me and between us, body heat was enough to stay warm.


	48. Out of the Woods

**Out of the Woods**

The next morning, I woke up feeling cold and stiff. Well, except for my back which was being kept rather warm by Alec's chest as he held me against him. Turns out that sleeping on money is not all that comfortable. Or maybe we just hadn't stolen enough. Hmm, that thought sounded a little too much like Alec. Whatever the reason, I really needed to get up and stretch.

I freed myself from Alec's hold and pulled my clothes back on. Alec groaned unhappily and began to stir. I smiled to myself knowing that it'd be another five minutes before he'd be even close to consciousness.

Sighing, I began to stretch and my sigh swiftly turned into a groan. I noted that my leg felt much better although twice as stiff as the rest of me. I spent some extra time warming up those muscles.

"Whatcha doing?" Alec mumbled.

"Stretching." I replied as I sat down and leaned over my legs to grab my toes, "You should, too."

"Sleeping better." Alec said, using his arm to gather more cash to pillow under his head.

"You can't sleep all day out here. We've got to get moving." I reminded him.

"I guess." Alec agreed grumpily, reluctantly sitting up.

I moved over towards him so that my feet were against his, then reached forward and grabbed his arms. Pulling them towards me and bracing his legs with mine, I pulled him into a stretch.

"Aww, damn, Jess. Too early for this." Alec protested.

"Big baby." I replied, releasing him.

Alec twisted a little until his back popped. I made a face at him and climbed back to my feet. I collected Alec's clothing for him, dropping them in his lap. Alec pulled them on and we both collected the money.

"Alright, let's go." Alec nodded.

"You have a plan?" I asked, following him out of the cave and back into the woods.

"Steal another car, get the heck out of this city, pull into a new one and find some fun ways to spend our cash." Alec replied, smirking at me over his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes in response. We trekked through the woods in the opposite direction of the mansion we'd ripped off in silence for a little while, hoping for some sign of civilization. My mind wandered idly. I wondered what Kyra was doing. I was sure that Max and the others would take care of her. Especially Krit. But that didn't mean that I wasn't worried about her. Just like I was sure that she was worrying about me.

"What do you think the others are doing right now?" I asked out loud.

"You mean Max and them?" Alec asked, "Well, Max is probably pouting and crusading and avoiding Logan's phone calls."

"You think they're okay?" I asked, wanting his reassurance.

"With Max around? That girl attracts trouble like I attract girls." Alec snorted, obviously not realizing that I was worried.

I frowned, not appreciating the comment. He was right, after all. Max was dangerous to be around. She was the prime target for all of our enemies. Alec must have seen my frown because he stopped walking and turned towards me, a puzzled look on his face.

"Jess, what's wrong?" he asked.

A flash of annoyance flared up in me. How was it that he could read me so well most of the time and yet still be so oblivious now?

"Forget it." I grumbled, pushing past him.

"Hey!" Alec protested, "What'd I do?"

"I said forget it." I snapped, not looking, but hearing him hurrying after me.

"But you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad." I denied.

"Hey, I've been around Max for awhile now. I think I know when a girl's mad at me."

"Oh, yeah." I agreed sarcastically, spinning around to walk backwards so I could glare at him, "You're so intuitive."

"Could you just tell me what's wrong?" Alec sighed in frustration.

"What's wrong?" I repeated, my voice rising in volume as my anger got the better of me. I stopped moving, "How about the entire world wants us dead and my best friend is out there somewhere with everybody's most wanted?!"

Realization sparked in Alec's eyes and his mouthed formed a silent 'Oh.' I humphed in exasperation at him taking this long to figure this out.

"Jess…" Alec began, taking a hesitant step towards me even though my body language was warning him that coming too close might cause him bodily harm. I look up at him, my eyes challenging him to find the right words to defuse the situation, "she's fine. I mean, we talked to Max just the other day and everything was fine, right?"

I continued to stare at him silently, my eyes asking him if he thought I was stupid. We both knew that situations can change in seconds.

"Okay, you're right." Alec conceded, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "But as often as Max gets in trouble, she always gets out of it, too. I mean, she's been on the Outside almost her whole life, dodging Manticore. She's good at this sort of thing. She'll take care of her."

I nodded my head slowly, letting him know that that made me feel a little better. Alec cautiously placed a hand on my arm.

"Besides, chances are Kyra's probably off somewhere doing the nasty with Krit and you've got nothing to worry about." Alec continued, flashing me a grin.

"Ugh." I replied, making a face at him, "You're such a guy."

Alec smiled happily, knowing that I'd forgiven him, "Yeah, that's true. One hundred percent genetically enhanced, damn fine specimen of manhood."

I decided not to justify that with a response because anything I said would only make it worse. Instead, I turned back around and resumed walking. Alec fell in next to me, still grinning. We walked for a few more hours, Alec babbling about anything that came to mind, before I heard something that didn't fit the surroundings. I paused, gesturing for Alec to be quiet so I could hear more clearly.

"A road." I decided, glancing at Alec.

"About time." Alec grumbled, "Not that I'm not loving our spur of the moment camping trip, but let's get some wheels."

We moved a little quicker towards the roadway, but slowed before we moved into sight of the motorists. Without speaking a word, we both cautiously peered through the cover of the trees at what now appeared to be a highway. Traffic was fairly steady, which was good for us, but I would have preferred a camp ground or some place where the cars were parked. Our best bet at this point would be to try and get picked up as hitchhikers until we could get somewhere more convenient for witness-free auto theft.

"You should go." Alec said, gesturing towards the road, "You show a little leg, someone'll stop."

I glared at him. Although it was reassuring to see that he'd come to the same conclusion I had, I wasn't too keen on the idea of flaunting myself on the side of a road.

"No way." I replied, "You go."

Alec shook his head, "It's a solid fact that girls are more likely to get someone to stop."

I stood up straight, my hands dropping to my hips as I continued to glare at him, "If I get someone to stop, I'm leaving without you."

"You wouldn't." Alec denied, "Besides, don't you want me to protect you from the creepy truck driver?"

"I'm pretty sure I can handle a creepy truck driver." I deadpanned, unamused.

"Fine." Alec grumbled, "We'll both go."

I nodded in reluctant agreement and we both moved out from behind the trees to the roadside. I was sure we looked pretty out of place in our black clothing in the middle of nowhere, but it couldn't be helped. I exchanged a glance with Alec before we both reluctantly stuck our thumbs out.

The cars continued to whiz past, not even slowly down as they passed us. And it wasn't like the road was packed so each car that didn't stop felt like a missed opportunity in a limited supply.

"Look sexier." Alec grumbled, getting frustrated with holding his thumb out and instead waving his arms to get driver's attention.

"What do you want me to do?" I demanded, "Take my shirt off?"

"I'm not against that idea." Alec replied, making me want to smack him. I restrained myself, figuring that probably wouldn't help our chances of getting picked up.

Instead, I dropped my arm back to my side and turned away from the road for a moment. Pausing to think, I finally decided to try something, anything, to get us out of here. I reached up and pulled my ponytail holder out, shaking my head and using my hands to fluff out my hair. I stooped down and picked up some dirt off the ground, rubbing it into the knees of my pants and the sleeves of my shirt. As an afterthought, I rubbed a dirty hand across my cheek before dusting them off on my pants. Between this and spending the night in the cave, I decided I looked sufficiently mussed. I turned back around and moved back to the side of the road. Alec was looking at me curiously, but I ignored him. A truck was coming up the road. Without pausing to second-guess myself, I ran out into the road, waving my arms like crazy.

"Jess!" Alec yelled in protest, but I barely heard him over the squeal of the truck's brakes.

Uncertainty flashed through me as the truck screeched to a halt, but not nearly fast enough and I slowly began to back away. I could leap out of the way, but it wouldn't look human and that would blow our cover. Luckily, the truck swerved past me, finally coming to a stop about twenty feet past me. I stared at the vehicle for a moment, processing the fact that I had almost gotten myself hit by a car, when a strong pair of arms suddenly enveloped me, snapping me out of it.

"Are you okay?" Alec demanded, pulling me roughly against him and crushing me in a powerful embrace.

I nodded against his chest, "I got someone to stop."

Alec pulled away to stare at me incredulously, "You're nuts."

"Shit, are you okay?" an unfamiliar voice interrupted us.

I turned my head to see the truck driver running back towards us. I pulled free from Alec, nodding quickly, "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry. We just really need some help."

The driver slowed to a stop, looking the pair of us over.

"What are you kids doing out here?" he asked.

"We got stranded." Alec leaped in, picking up on my plan, "We've been stuck out here for a few days, lost as hell. We just found the road."

"Please, you have to help us." I added, shooting him what I hoped was an irresistibly desperate look.

The trucker shifted uncomfortably, reaching up and adjusting his baseball cap. He was a gruff-looking older man, a thick stubble of graying beard on his face, tanned skin, and weathered clothes. This guy wouldn't be easily played. He'd been places, seen things. He knew how the world worked and had survived in it. I looked down at the street, feeling the first crushing feelings of yet another failure to add to my track record. Alec must have sensed my defeat because his hand caught mine, making me glance back towards him.

"Come on." the trucker finally said, making me start in surprise, "Get in."

"Thank you!" I gushed, hurrying towards the vehicle, pulling Alec after me.

I climbed into the cab followed by Alec. I squished against him to make plenty of room for the trucker who soon joined us. He looked us over again before he started the truck. I took in that look, realizing that while we where almost out of the woods literally, we were figuratively still in the thick of it.


	49. Chapter 49

A/N: I wanted to do a lot more with this fanfic. I'd planned something more with the Familiars, CAT, and the Coming. But, much like Dark Angel itself, it just wasn't meant to be. I didn't want to leave the story completely hanging, so I wrote this. I'm not entirely satisfied and I'm sure anyone who reads this won't be either, but I can't really bring myself to drag this out any longer. My deepest apologies to you saintly people who have followed this fanfic. I hope you won't hold this against me.

**All A Dream**

"So what exactly were you two doing out there?" the trucker asked again as we headed down the road, glancing over at us.

"Camping." Alec supplied.

The trucker's eyebrows raised and disappeared under his hat brim, "Camping? Where's your gear?"

Alec's face betrayed nothing even if I was sure he must be as nervous internally as I was, "I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you."

The trucker paused for a long moment before he responded to that, "I don't know about that. Heard on the radio that there was a burglary at this mansion near here. They say it was a couple of those mutants."

I stiffened in my seat, glancing towards Alec.

"You don't have to tell us." Alec said quickly, "Who do you think stole our gear?"

Now the trucker looked really surprised. His eyes kept darting between us and the road.

"You mean to tell me you tangled with them things?" he asked.

Alec eyes widened, "No way! When I saw how fast they moved, I figured they must be those freaks and we ran as fast as we could the other way."

"Quick thinking." the trucker nodded, apparently accepting our story, "What are your names?"

"Alex." Alec said, extending his hand across me to shake with the trucker, "This is my girlfriend, Jessica."

Jessica? I was so going to hit him for that later.

"Ma'am." the trucker said, tipping his hat, "My name's Bill."

"Thank you again for stopping for us, Bill." I said, trying to sound shaken by my supposed experiences.

"Didn't rightly have a choice, did I?" Bill replied with a bit of a grin.

I couldn't help but offer him an embarrassed smile back. I liked this guy. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy. I almost felt bad that we were using him like this, but it wasn't like we had a choice.

"Where are we headed?" Alec asked.

"Well, I've to get this shipment down to Redding. Where are you folks from?"

I was tempted to try and stay with Bill all the way into California, but he'd definitely be suspicious if we tried that. Glancing at Alec, I answered.

"Not far from here. You can drop us off in the next town. We'll be fine from there."

"Sounds good." Bill nodded, focusing on the road.

I felt awkward in the ensuing silence and wished for something to fill the void, but was unwilling to attempt the radio in Bill's vehicle. I leaned further into Alec, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. He smiled reassuringly at me and draped his arm around my shoulders, giving me a small squeeze.

"You kids must be tired. Go ahead and sleep." Bill finally suggested.

I glanced at Bill and gave him an appreciative smile. I didn't really need sleep, but it couldn't hurt either. Alec leaned against the door and I leaned against him. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and told myself to sleep.

I woke up when Alec shifted underneath me. Sitting up, I looked out the window and saw that we were pulling into a town. It was small, probably not even a blip on a map, but we should be able to find another car here. Besides that, I was starving!

Bill pulled into a gas station and parked next to a pump. Alec immediately jumped out. I paused.

"Thanks again, Bill." I said, genuinely grateful.

"You're welcome, girl." Bill nodded. I turned to climb out after Alec, but Bill's voice stopped me, "And be careful out there. It ain't really safe for your kind."

I stiffened at his words. He knew? How? I turned wide eyes towards him, but he didn't seem like he was going to turn us in or anything. He still seemed like he was just trying to help.

"How did you know?" I asked quietly.

"I'm smarter than I look." Bill replied with a grin that made me almost feel like smiling back.

"And you're…not scared or anything?" I continued, not hiding my surprise.

Bill shook his head. I felt Alec returning to stand by the open truck door and glanced at him. He'd obviously heard what we'd said, but I shot him a calming look to let him know everything was alright anyway.

"Seems to me you folk were soldiers, right? Well, when I was about your age, I served in Vietnam. I remember coming back and having people yelling and throwing things at us just for serving our country. Hate to see the same thing happening to someone else." Bill explained.

"Yeah, us, too." Alec agreed dryly.

"You, too sure you'll be okay?" Bill asked, ignoring Alec's tone.

I nodded, "We'll be fine. Thanks again."

Bill tipped his hat in reply as Alec and I strode away. It was nice to know that not everyone was against us. And while it wasn't like we could count on meeting more people who felt the same as Bill, just meeting one was more than I'd expected. Maybe there was some hope for us after all.

Alec and I moved away from the gas station quickly. We bought food at a grocery store, stuff we could take with us on the run. Our last stop before stealing a car was to use a pay phone.

"Hey, Maxie." Alec greeted her after rattling off his barcode in a bored tone.

"You two okay?" Max asked immediately.

"Hit a little trouble trying to get some quick cash, but we're alright." Alec answered vaguely, "You still laying low in L.A.?"

"For the moment." Max confirmed, "We've spread out a little to minimize suspicion, but we're all here. You might want to tell Jess that her girl is kicking it with Krit."

Alec raised his eyebrows at me and grinned into the phone, "Good to hear someone's getting some action out there."

"I really can't wait to kick your ass." Max growled back.

"Now that's the sweet, little Maxie we all know and love." Alec teased, "Don't worry. I know how much it hurts you when we're apart. I'll be there soon."

"Someone's going to be hurting alright." Max threatened, but Alec was already hanging up the phone.

"Why do you antagonize her?" I wondered, shaking my head at him.

Alec shrugged, "It's a hobby."

"More like an extreme sport." I replied.

"I like to live dangerously." Alec nodded.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed his sleeve, tugging him along after me as we went to search for a suitable vehicle. Now that we had enough cash to keep gas in a car, we shouldn't have too many problems reaching Max or at least getting close enough that we could assist her if she needed. Besides, I wanted to see Kira. I was sure she was fine with Krit but a part of me wouldn't be happy until I saw her with my own eyes.

I was feeling pretty good about our escape finally. We still had a lot of problems to deal with, but escape and evade was something that I'd actually proven to be pretty good at. And now that I had Alec with me, I felt like there was little that we couldn't do. Defeating the Familiars and finding acceptance for transgenic would come with time perhaps.

As Alec and I drove our stolen vehicle along the coastal highway, I turned my gaze from the ocean to the man beside me. This must all be a great dream I'd had. I couldn't help but think that sometimes. When I reflected on everything that had happened to me in just the past few weeks, I couldn't help but feel that maybe it was all just a dream. And yet, I found myself there, with Alec, fighting for a new future. There'd be no quick resolution to any of it. Life's not like that. There's no nice wrap up to life where all the loose ends get tied into pretty bows. Especially not in my life. No, there was so much that still needed to be done. It was ironic really. After all this time, X5-613 finally found a mission.


End file.
